By Prof. A. den Heeten & Prof. K. Grimbergen
The female breast develops during the menarche and consists mainly of protein, water, and fat. The main categories of breast tissue are adipose tissue with a low X-ray attenuation coefficient, and fibrous and glandular tissue with an attenuation coefficient close to that of water. In mammography, the principal components contributing to image contrast are water, fat, and calcium.