The Reading Room Podcast: Emerging Concepts in Breast Cancer Screening and Health Equity Implications, Part 3

On the latest episode of The Reading Room podcast, Anand Narayan, M.D., and Amy Patel, M.D., offer their perspectives on the challenges faced by radiologists — who are already grappling with increasingly high volume worklists and radiologist shortages — in implementing expanded breast cancer screening as per recently updated recommendations from the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF).

For breast cancer risk assessments, Dr. Patel said another challenge is that not all facilities have access to high-risk breast clinics or genetics programs, limitations that often fall upon the shoulders of breast imaging centers. Dr. Patel noted that artificial intelligence (AI) and possible implementation of a risk-based model with AI may have potential for facilitating appropriate triaging of patients.

In regard to practical steps radiologists can take to help raise awareness of new recommendations to help address disparities in breast cancer screening, Dr. Patel emphasized the importance of an ongoing dialogue with primary care providers.

“Keeping the lines of communication open with your referring providers is paramount. When new recommendations come down the pike, we as a breast imaging community really need to take it upon ourselves to educate our referring providers,” noted Dr. Patel, the medical director of the Liberty Hospital Breast Care Center in Kansas City and an assistant professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

(Editor’s note: For related content, see “New Research Shows Consequences of Delayed Diagnosis in Mammography Screening,” “The Reading Room Podcast: Emerging Concepts in Breast Cancer Screening and Health Equity Implications, Part 2” and “The Reading Room Podcast: Emerging Concepts in Breast Cancer Screening and Health Equity Implications, Part 1.”)

For more insights from Dr. Narayan and Dr. Patel, listen below or subscribe on your favorite podcast platform.