The hospital asked me to return for additional images after my annual mammogram. How worried should I be?

About 10 to 15 percent of women having screening mammograms are asked to return for additional images. Usually the radiologist requests magnified mammographic images or ultrasound images of one or both breasts to clarify questions he or she may have after reviewing the screening images. Eight out of ten times the additional views answer any questions the radiologist had. In most cases the woman returns to annual screening. Occasionally a woman is asked to return in six months for a follow-up. There are times when images alone cannot answer the question, “Is everything okay?” In these cases, the radiologist may recommend a biopsy to determine if there is a problem.