Have you ever had a mammogram and received the report from your radiologist with the words “dense breast tissue” written in the summary? If you were confused by this, you’re not alone.

Dense breast tissue is a significant risk factor for breast cancer. So much so that many states, including California, now require that all women who have dense breasts be informed of this either by letter or on their mammogram report.

Despite large-scale campaigns to publicize the importance of breast cancer screening, a lot of faulty information regarding the mammogram exam is still being delivered to patients and sometimes interpreted as fact.

To gauge where gaps in knowledge about breast cancer screening are most commonly occurring, the Working Mother Research Institute recently surveyed more than 2,500 women aged 35 and older to see what they know. While the results contain good news, there are areas where physicians can better educate their patients.

Many women are aware that annual mammogram screening should begin at age 40 according to American Cancer Society guidelines. This offers the best possible chance for early detection of breast cancer, which improves treatment prospects.

However, there is reason to believe that the quality of mammography results can vary from one radiologist to the next. New research suggests that experience matters when it comes to reading a mammogram.

Is there a magic age after which a woman can terminate her screening mammogram?