Concern about mammo recall / focal asymmetry

[cerulealumina]

I am really anxious about the recall I received today for my recent mammogram. I'm 42 years old and this was my second mammogram. The first one, which I did at a different imaging center last year, didn't find any abnormalities but noted the extreme density of my breast tissue.

The new mammogram found an oval focal asymmetry with obscured margins in the right breasts at the posterior 10 o'clock position, 7 cm from the nipple. It reported the breast tissue as generally heterogeneously dense and the BIRAD was rated 0 - incomplete.

I had a breast exam at my OB/GYN at the same day as I had the mammogram done, and she found nothing amiss. However, because of the finding of extremly dense tissue in the first mammogram, she recommended I should supplement my yearly mammogram with a yearly MRI for greater screening accuracy.

The lady at the imaging center who scheduled my diagnostic mammogram and possible ultrasound told me that as of this moment, I had nothing to worry because "our breast tissue can change any time." But how can I not worry, especially after reading on Dr. Google about the concerns with newly developing asymmetries? Is this really a common "false-positive" or a serious reason for concern? I still have six days to go until I can do the diagnostic test and as of now, I don't know how I can snap out of my anxiety.

[Sara_MHModerator]

Hello and welcome to the forum. We're so glad you found us but know that it's an anxious time when we have abnormal mammograms.  I'm sorry for the delay in response and by now, you've likely sorted this out.  Is there an update?

Abnormal mammograms are common and a birad of 0 just indicates that they want to check it out further but haven't really seen anything of real concern. Absolutely, dense breast tissue can result in radiologists wanted to take a further look. A 3 D mammogram helps in these cases. Newly developed asymmetry can be because of benign changes in the breasts that occur commonly as time goes on. This is a helpful article.  https://www.healthline.com/health/breast-cancer/focal-asymmetry-turned-out-to-be-cancer Being called back while nerve wrecking is good. They are taking good care of patients when they do this.

What was the end result of your follow up after this post? Please let us know!