Mammographic Breast Density Evaluation in Korean Women Using Fully Automated Volumetric Assessment

The purpose was to present mean breast density of Korean women according to age using fully automated volumetric assessment. This study included 5,967 screening normal or benign mammograms (mean age, 46.2 ± 9.7; range, 30–89 years), from cancer-screening program. We evaluated mean fibroglandular tissue volume, breast tissue volume, volumetric breast density (VBD), and the results were 53.7 ± 30.8 cm³, 383.8 ± 205.2 cm³, and 15.8% ± 7.3%. The frequency of dense breasts and mean VBD by age group were 94.3% and 19.1% ± 6.7% for the 30s (n = 1,484), 91.4% and 17.2% ± 6.8% for the 40s (n = 2,706), 72.2% and 12.4% ± 6.2% for the 50s (n = 1,138), 44.0% and 8.6% ± 4.3% for the 60s (n = 89), 39.1% and 8.0% ± 3.8% for the 70s (n = 138), and 39.1% and 8.0% ± 3.5% for the 80s (n = 12). The frequency of dense breasts was higher in younger women (n = 4,313, 92.3%) than older women (n = 1,654, 59.8%). Mean VBD decreased with aging or menopause, and was about 16% for 46-year-old-Korean women, much higher than in other countries. The proportion of dense breasts sharply decreases in Korean women between 40 and 69 years of age.