Understanding Your Mammogram Results
A mammogram report uses a standard scale from 0 to 6. Once you know the scale, the report is much less alarming to read.
Medically reviewed by Charles Ortega, PA-C, MPAS · Last reviewed October 1, 2026 · Educational information, not medical advice. Innovare Tx does not perform mammograms.
The BI-RADS scale
Radiologists sort every mammogram into one of seven categories, called BI-RADS (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System). The descriptions below follow the American Cancer Society.
| Category | What it means | What happens next |
|---|---|---|
| 0: Incomplete | More images, or a comparison with earlier ones, are needed before a result can be given. | Additional views, an ultrasound, or a review of your prior images. |
| 1: Negative | A normal result. Nothing new or abnormal was found. | Routine screening. |
| 2: Benign finding | No sign of cancer. The radiologist has noted something that is not cancer. | Routine screening. |
| 3: Probably benign | A finding with a very low chance of being cancer, no more than 2%. | Follow-up imaging in 6 to 12 months, then regularly for about 2 years. |
| 4: Suspicious | A finding that might or might not be cancer. Split into 4A (2% to 10%), 4B (10% to 50%) and 4C (50% to 95%). | A biopsy is recommended. |
| 5: Highly suggestive of cancer | A finding that looks like cancer, with at least a 95% chance. | A biopsy is strongly recommended. |
| 6: Known cancer | Used only for a finding already shown to be cancer by an earlier biopsy. | Treatment planning with a cancer team. |
If you are called back
A callback is not a diagnosis. It happens when the images were not clear or did not show all of the breast tissue, when the radiologist sees an area such as calcifications or a mass that needs a closer look, or when an area looks different from the tissue around it.
Callbacks are more common after a first mammogram, because there are no earlier images to compare with, and in women with dense breasts. According to the American Cancer Society, fewer than 1 in 10 women called back for more tests are found to have cancer.
What the follow-up involves
The follow-up appointment usually starts with a diagnostic mammogram, which takes more images of the area in question. You may also have a breast ultrasound, and sometimes an MRI. A radiologist is often on hand to review the images during the visit.
There are three usual outcomes: the finding is benign and you return to routine screening; the area is probably not cancer and you are asked back sooner than usual, typically in 6 months; or a biopsy is needed.
If a biopsy is recommended, the American Cancer Society notes that most biopsy results are not cancer, but a biopsy is the only way to know for sure.
Your density result
Your report will also say whether your breast tissue is dense or not dense. Since September 10, 2024, federal rules require every mammogram report sent to a patient to include that. See dense breasts for what it means.
How we help with results
When we arrange your mammogram, the report comes back to us. We explain the category in plain language, make sure any follow-up imaging is scheduled, and refer you to a breast specialist when a biopsy or further care is needed. We do not perform imaging or biopsies in our office.
If you have a report from somewhere else that you do not understand, bring it to a screening visit.
Frequently asked questions
Next in the breast health hub
Ready to get your screening arranged?
Book a visit at our Addison clinic. We review your risk, help you arrange a mammogram at an imaging center, and go over the results with you.