BI-RADS
Read Your Scan Editorial Team·Last updated
Written from published radiology references and reviewed for plain language. Not written or signed by a physician, and not a diagnosis. How we write these pages →
In plain language
The standard scoring scale for breast imaging, from 0 to 6, which turns a mammogram or breast ultrasound into an agreed next step. Low categories mean normal or almost certainly benign; the middle of the scale means a short-interval follow-up; the higher ones mean a biopsy is recommended.
Where you’ll see this
The impression of every mammogram, breast ultrasound and breast MRI report.
Your report may word it “BIRADS”, “Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System” or “BI-RADS category”. These mean the same thing.
Questions worth asking your doctor
- Which BI-RADS category am I, and what does that category normally lead to?
- Is the next step a repeat scan or a biopsy, and when?
- Does a category 0 mean something was seen, or only that more pictures are needed?
Standard scoring systems
See this word on your own scan
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Read Your Scan is informational only — not a medical diagnosis, and not a substitute for a licensed radiologist or your doctor. If you have urgent symptoms, seek care.