Patent ID: 8738124

Claim:
A method for estimating a percent mammographic density (MD) of at least one breast of an individual, the breast comprising an overlying skin surface and nipple, the method comprising the following steps: (A) establishing a connection between a first electrode and subepithelial parenchymal tissue in the breast of the individual; (B) placing at least one second electrode in contact with the skin surface of the breast proximate the subepithelial tissue at a fixed distance from the nipple of the breast; (C) establishing at least one electrical signal having a frequency between the first and second electrodes; (D) measuring the subepithelial impedance (Zsub) at at least one frequency between the first and second electrodes; and (E) calculating an estimate of percent mammographic density of the breast according to an algorithm defined by an equation relating Zsub to mammographic breast density wherein values of mammographic breast density used to determine the algorithm have been estimated or calculated according to at least one method independent of steps (A) through (D).