§ 130A-215.5. Communication of mammographic breast density information to patients.

259 words·~1 min read·/nc/chapter-130a/130a-215-5

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(a)All health care facilities that perform mammography examinations shall provide each patient with a summary of the mammography report in language understandable by a layperson that includes an assessment of the patient's breast density.

(a1)Each health care facility that provides a mammography report to a patient following a mammography examination shall include in the report information about breast density based on the patient's mammogram that is consistent with the federal regulations issued by the United States Food and Drug Administration pursuant to the Mammography Quality Standards Act, 42 U.S.C. § 263b, et seq., as from time to time amended. If a health care facility determines that a patient has heterogeneously or extremely dense breasts, the report provided to the patient shall communicate all of the following information:

(1)Breast tissue can be either dense or not dense.

(2)Dense breast tissue makes it harder to find breast cancer on a mammogram and also increases the risk of developing breast cancer.

(3)In some people with dense breast tissue, other imaging tests in addition to a mammogram may help find cancers.

(4)Patients with dense breast tissue should talk to their healthcare provider about breast density, risks for breast cancer, and their individual situation.

(b)Health care facilities may direct patients who receive diagnostic or screening mammograms to informative material about breast density. This informative material may include the American College of Radiology's most current brochure on the subject of breast density. (2013-321, s. 1; 2025-27, s. 4.5.)