Interdisciplinary Breast Care: Essential Information for the Treatment Team

In an effort to provide women with efficient detection, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer, increasing numbers of institutions are adopting a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to breast care. This trend, along with technological advances in breast imaging, has resulted in an ever-expanding role for radiologists as clinicians and consultants with direct patient interaction. Therefore, clinical breast radiologists have emerged as pivotal in the leadership of and support for interdisciplinary breast care centers; understanding the importance of these centers is optimal to patient outcome and medical cost containment. This article delineates the essential elements to be included in a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation and, in the report of that evaluation, elements that further aid treating physicians in management of patients with breast cancer. In addition, 3 years of breast cancer screening performance data from a comprehensive breast care center are presented and compared with national benchmarks.