Understanding your mammogram results

Last updated: Tuesday 03 December 2024

Your breast screening (mammogram) results will be sent to you, usually within two weeks of your appointment.

Your GP will also be notified of your results.

There are three possible results:

Normal

Your X-rays have shown no signs of cancer and you will be invited again in three years for your next routine screen. If you are aged 71 or over and do not receive a further invitation but would like one please contact us.

Technical repeat

The mammogram needs to be repeated for technical reasons only. Occasionally not all of the breast tissue can be seen on the X-rays or the pictures may be blurred. The mammogram is repeated to ensure all the breast tissue can be clearly seen.

Approximately three out of every 100 women screened will be called back for a technical repeat to get a good quality mammogram. You will be invited to attend the screening service at either Halton Hospital, Captain Sir Tom Moore Building or St Helens Hospital Burney Breast Unit so that your repeated X-rays can be checked for technical quality before you leave.

Further assessment

Sometimes we need more detail about an area we have seen on your mammogram before we can decide on a result. If this is the case you will receive an appointment to attend our assessment clinic at either Halton Hospital, Captain Sir Tom Moore Building or St Helens Hospital Burney Breast Unit.

This additional appointment is part of routine screening and for most women invited back nothing of concern will be found. Approximately five out of 100 women who have breast screening will be asked to come back to our clinic for a further examination. Four of these women will be found to have a normal result. Anyone invited to an assessment clinic will be able to speak to a breast care nurse if they want more information before attending.

If you would like to bring somebody with you, then please feel free to do so. However, please note there is a limited amount of space in the waiting area.

What happens at the assessment clinic?

When you report to the receptionist they will check your details and ask you to take a seat in the waiting room.

Further tests

One or more of the following tests may be performed.

Breast examination: A doctor / practitioner will talk to you about your mammograms, will ask you some questions about your general health and will then examine your breasts.

Mammograms: It may be necessary for you to have another or different X-ray taken.

Ultrasound: A doctor will perform this scan. An ultrasound uses sound waves to produce an image of breast tissue which will give different information from a mammogram. It is completely painless and is the same test pregnant women have to let them see an image of their developing baby in the womb. 

Cytology: Sometimes the doctor may want to pass a fine needle into the breast to withdraw fluid from a cyst or take a sample of tissue.

Breast biopsy: A small number of women may require a breast biopsy. This is the removal of a small piece of tissue for examination which can be done using a X-ray or ultrasound machine. Most women will not need a biopsy.

Receiving test results

Most of the tests can be done during your visit and the doctor will usually be able to give you the results on the same day. If it has been necessary to carry out cytology or a biopsy, the sample is sent to the Pathology Laboratory for testing so it would be necessary to arrange a further appointment for you to come back for the result.