What Happens When You Get A Mammogram Callback?

You’ve had your mammogram, so you can cross it off your to-do list. But what if you get a call to come back for more imaging? Getting a callback can be concerning, but it’s not unusual. About one in 10 patients receives a callback after a routine mammogram. Our imaging experts explain why this happens and what to expect.

Why You Might Get A Callback

After reviewing your mammogram, a radiologist might want more images for several reasons, including:

• Dense breast tissue with a lot of overlap
• Images that aren’t clear enough
• Something in the image that looks unusual

When you return, the radiologist may take more detailed images, perform an ultrasound or both. Sometimes, your provider may recommend scheduling an MRI or biopsy for another day.

Few Callbacks Lead To A Cancer Diagnosis

If 100 women get a screening mammogram, the radiologist will usually call back 10 for more imaging:

• Of those 10, six will learn their mammograms are normal.
• In two cases, something that doesn’t look like cancer may still appear in the image. The care team may want to watch it closely and ask the patient to return in six months for a follow-up.
• For the remaining two patients, the doctor may recommend a biopsy. Of those two, about one in five is diagnosed with breast cancer.

Your chance of a breast cancer diagnosis after a screening mammogram is low — about 0.5 percent. When breast cancer is found early, before a lump can be felt, the survival rate is more than 98 percent. That’s why mammograms are so important: They can detect what fingers may not feel.

Mammograms Save Lives

Only a small number of screening mammograms lead to a cancer diagnosis, but that does not make them any less important. Regular mammograms can lower your risk of dying from breast cancer because they are one of the best tools for early detection. Even though the odds of a diagnosis after a screening mammogram are low, you should continue to schedule one every year.

Care You Can Trust For Your Breast Health

At Luminis Health Breast Imaging, radiology experts and advanced imaging tools are conveniently available in one location. Luminis also offers 3D mammography, which improves image quality and can reduce extra testing from unclear results, leading to fewer callbacks.

To schedule a mammogram anytime, visit www.luminis.health/imaging.

Dr. Marit Duffy is the chief of breast imaging at Luminis Health. She is certified in 3D breast tomosynthesis and breast MRI with biopsy, and she is a member of the Society of Breast Imaging. She is board certified by the American Board of Radiology.

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