You and your GP should receive the results of your mammogram in writing within two weeks. If you do not hear anything by this time, you can phone your breast screening unit and ask them to check your results.

19 out of 20 women will have a normal result and will be invited for a mammogram again in three years time, providing by then they are not older than 71 (65 in Northern Ireland).

If you have a normal result you will not need to go back for more mammograms until you receive your next invitation from the screening clinic in three years time. If you find any changes in your breasts in the meantime you can go to your GP who can arrange tests for you. See breast awareness for details of any changes in your breasts that you should report to your GP.

About 1 in 20 women (5%) who go for screening are asked to go to a breast assessment clinic for further tests. This may be because a possible problem with the breast tissues was seen on the mammogram. This problem may not be a cancer, as there are many breast conditions that can show up on a mammogram.

Approximately 1 in 8 women who have an abnormal result will be found to have breast cancer, which means that 7 out of 8 will not have breast cancer.

Occasionally, the need for more tests is due to technical reasons; for example, if the mammogram picture was not clear enough. Around 2 women in every 100 (2%) are called back for technical reasons.