About 1 in every 10 women who have a screening mammogram will be called back or “recalled” for extra views or screening tests to look at an area of the breast more closely. THIS IS EXPECTED.
- It is much more common for women to be recalled after their very first mammogram. This is because there is no prior mammogram for comparison to know what is normal for your breasts.
- Among women called back, most (95%) do not have cancer. These are considered false positives or “false alarms.”
Usually, extra mammogram pictures or an ultrasound can clear up a question raised on a mammogram.
About 1 in 5 women called back for additional testing will need a needle biopsy. This is a minor in-office procedure to take a very small sample of breast tissue for testing.
Learn More:
- 5 Facts Every Woman Should Know
- Video Series: Let’s Talk About Dense Breasts
- Patient Risk Checklist (print)
- Patient Questions and Answers