Please, please help me understand mammogram results. Technical stuff.

[ConfusedBoobs]

6 months ago I had a mammogram and was given the classification of BIRADS 3 and told that it has a 2% risk of being cancer and to come back in 6 months when they would do the mammogram again. I've now had the repeat and I've been told its M3 which needs biopsying and has a much higher risk of being cancer. Does that mean the classification has changed? They seem to be using 2 different systems to grade the calcifications.

And on top of that they haven't been able to compare this mammogram to the previous one because in the middle I've helpfully moved to a different country and the first hospital isn't giving the 2nd the first results.

M3 is an imaging score....same as birds....M3 is uncertain/likely benign..... so yes they probs will biopsy but won't be expecting a malignancy..... hope everything is ok for you

Same as birads

What has thrown me is BIrads has a risk of cancer at 2% and M3 almost 40.8%. So can they be the same classification?

Not sure where the 40% comes from ? Don't think that is correct information

"The BSBR 5-point score was developed after the ACR BI-RADS which is in common usage across North America and Europe. A 2011 UK study 3, early in the use of the BSBR system, found malignancy rates as follows:

M1 - 1.8%, M2 - 1.3%, M3 - 40.8%, M4 - 94.6%, M5 - 97.8%
U1 - 0.4%, U2 - 1.8%, U3 - 17.7%, U4 - 88.2%, U5 - 97.1%"

From radiopaedia.org/articles/bsbr-breast-imaging-classification?lang=gb

But I know Google won't necessarily give me the most reliable results so not sure what to believe.

I think I'm driving myself absolutely crazy. Not helped by the hospital in currently being treated in are not good at communicating anything with me.

I wouldn't put much store in percentages.... I think anything 3 upwards just needs a biopsy ....either to put your mind at rest or confirm a diagnosis....are you in UK ? As they usually give you a biopsy same day as part of a 1 stop shop breast clinic ..... they also usually offer an US straight after a birads 3 mammogram.... get on the phone to the clinic ASAP and get your appt booked... good luck OP

The hospital won't do anything until they have reports from previous hospital so they can compare the scans. They said it's not urgent. I can't see how it isn't. 3 weeks from mammogram results I've waited and I'm still waiting. I'm in Wales. I think before it didn't need a biopsy so must have been M2 now it does so M3. Which to me means changes. Changes to calcifications means cancer. And round and round I go getting myself more and more wound up. I just want to cry. Thank you for your good wishes.

Not all calcification changes are cancerous...but you are right to be wanting answers.... my calcifications (4mm) were DCIS ..... I had mammogram US and biopsy all in the same morning ( birads 3) .... results 9 days later...
Odds are you will be absolutely fine but I get you need to know ....can you be referred elsewhere?