Dense Breasts and the Diagnostic Gap: What Every Woman Deserves to Know with Dr. Gordon & Dr. Patel

Did you know that almost half of all women have dense breasts, and most have no idea what that means for their health? In this episode of the MenopauseWize Podcast, Dr. Sukhpreet Patel sits down with Dr. Paula Gordon, a pioneering breast radiologist and Clinical Professor at the University of British Columbia, to unpack one of the most underappreciated gaps in women's healthcare. Dr. Gordon was among the first researchers to show that ultrasound could detect small cancers missed by mammograms in women with dense breasts. Her advocacy has helped change policy across Canada, ensuring women are now told whether they have dense breasts in their mammogram reports, and successfully pushing all Canadian provinces to lower the screening age to 40 along with her colleagues In this conversation, we cover: What breast density actually means and how common it is How density changes through perimenopause and menopause Why mammograms can miss cancers in women with dense breasts What supplemental imaging options are available and how to choose The truth about interval cancers and what the data tells us How to navigate callbacks and reduce unnecessary anxiety What every woman should be asking her doctor right now Whether you have been told you have dense breasts, are navigating breast cancer screening decisions, or simply want to be informed, this episode is essential listening. Resources mentioned: DenseBreastsCanada.ca Follow: @densebreastscanada on Instagram Follow MenopauseWize: @MenopauseWize on Instagram