Breast Imaging

We provide a full spectrum of breast imaging tests at three locations of University of Chicago Medicine, which are Hyde park, River East, and Orland Park. We offer all breast imaging exams that include 3D mammography, sonography, magnetic resonance imaging, and interventional procedures. Our screening clinic provides service to the surrounding community and we are a referral center for the evaluation of patients with difficult diagnostic problems. Our diagnostic clinic specializes in taking care of patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer as well as breast cancer survivors. We work collaboratively with the breast interdisciplinary team comprising of medical and radiation oncologists, surgeons, and pathologists. At our weekly multi-disciplinary conference, all of the clinical, imaging, and pathologic data for each new cancer patient is discussed, and personalized management plans are created for each patient.

We work within a fully digital environment for mammography screening and diagnosis. We use a stereotactic table and a tomosynthesis machine equipped with biopsy capability for image-guided biopsy procedures and use state-of-the-art ultrasound units for diagnosis and intervention. We have access to 3.0 Tesla MRI magnets with dedicated breast coils and computer-assisted visualization and analysis tools for evaluating breast magnetic resonance examinations.

We provide a full spectrum of breast imaging tests at three locations of University of Chicago Medicine, which are Hyde Park, River East, and Orland Park. Screening, diagnostic imaging, and breast procedures are performed at all three locations of University of Chicago Medicine (Hyde Park, River East, and Orland Park). In addition, breast MRI services are offered at Hyde Park and Orland Park locations. The Breast Imaging section is passionate about providing top-notch care to our South Side Community. In collaboration with the Comprehensive Cancer Center, the breast imagers have created a South Side Task Force that is committed to providing care to the un- and underinsured women in our neighboring communities. Mammogram parties and yoga wellness events are just a few examples of the events hosted by the breast imaging section. Recently, there has also been the creation of the first-ever University of Chicago Breast Cancer Support Group, called Wonder Women. Together with community stakeholders, the section hopes to educate and empower women about their breast health. For more information on the breast cancer support group, please email wonderwomen@uchospitals.edu.

The activities of the Breast Imaging faculty encompass a broad range of research activities in both the basic and clinical domains. The breast imaging section is a national leader in research efforts in the development of new imaging techniques that focus on the early detection and diagnosis of disease. The Section has an active and robust research program that is represented by direct faculty awards and/or participation in several federally funded grants and industry-sponsored clinical trials. A number of sources including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and many non-federal granting agencies such as the American Cancer Society supports our well-established research activities. Our translational research efforts involve close collaboration between breast radiologists, medical physicists, pathologists, and oncologists. We collaborate with Dr. Gregory Karczmar and colleagues, to optimize imaging methods for the detection of small cancers, using novel MRI techniques. Our investigations, with Dr. Maryellen Giger and medical physics colleagues, continue, with emphasis on multimodality applications for quantitative imaging analysis methods in breast imaging.