What Women Need to Know About the Michigan Breast Density Notification Law

Earlier this summer, the Michigan Breast Density Notification Law went into effect.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services reminds us that all women who undergo mammography in Michigan will receive a letter from the facility where they received their mammogram describing their breast density and mammogram results in order to raise awareness of breast cancer risks.

While mammograms remain the gold standard for detecting breast tumors, they're less reliable in women with dense breast tissue. Dense or fibrous tissue shows up as splotches of white on a mammogram, as do tumors.

Breast density is reported in a way that ensures consistency and ranges from least dense - almost entirely fatty, to extremely dense, which is considered the most thick with very little fat.

Greater density on a mammogram makes it more difficult to detect a breast cancer due to cancer being potentially masked by dense breast tissue. The dense white tissue is more likely to obscure cancer then a fatty, less dense background.

In addition to raising awareness, the law also urges patients to discuss their mammogram results with their primary care provider. This is to decide if supplemental imaging, in addition to the mammogram, should be considered based on individual risk.