Related Experiment Videos
Decreasing rate of fatty involution at screening mammography
Caroline E Blane1, J Thomas Fitzgerald, Larry D Gruppen
1Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Health Systems, Ann Arbor 48109-0252, USA.
Academic Radiology
|August 21, 2002
Summary
Breast density at screening mammography decreased less with age in the 1990s compared to the 1980s. This trend persisted even in women not using hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Mammography
- Breast Imaging
Background:
- Breast density naturally decreases with age, a process known as fatty involution.
- Changes in breast density over time may impact mammography screening effectiveness.
- Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is known to affect breast tissue composition.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the perceived decrease in fatty involution at screening mammography over a decade.
- To evaluate the influence of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on breast density changes.
- To compare breast density changes between the 1980s and 1990s.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of screening mammograms from 1981, 1986, and 1991.
- Categorization of breast density using Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) criteria.
- Comparison of breast density changes in women aged 50-59, with and without HRT, across decades.
Main Results:
- Breast density did not significantly differ between 1981 and 1991.
- Initial breast density was the strongest predictor of final density, irrespective of HRT.
- Fatty involution was significantly slower in the 1990s compared to the 1980s, evident in both HRT and non-HRT groups.
Conclusions:
- Breast density at screening mammography decreased at a slower rate with age in the 1990s than in the 1980s.
- The observed decrease in the rate of fatty involution was not solely attributable to hormone replacement therapy.
- These findings suggest a potential shift in breast tissue characteristics over time, impacting mammographic interpretation.