Breast Density and Age: What CEM BPE Reveals

Did you know that CEM, or contrast-enhanced mammography, can tell us a lot about a woman's breasts? A recent study looked into how BPE, or breast parenchymal enhancement, on CEM relates to breast density, age, and whether a woman is still menstruating. This study was a bit like looking back in time, since it reviewed lots of old medical records.You might wonder, what's breast density? It's basically how much breast tissue a woman has compared to fat. And BPE? That's how much the breast tissue lights up on a CEM scan. The study found that women with denser breasts and those who were still having periods had higher BPE than others. That's interesting, right? It could help doctors better understand breast health. Age also plays a role. Younger women, especially those under 50, had higher BPE. This might be because younger women often have denser breasts. Meanwhile, women over 50 who were still menstruating had higher BPE too. Isn't that fascinating?