Breast Imaging

The mission of the Section of Breast Imaging within the Department of Radiology is to provide excellent comprehensive screening and diagnostic breast health care for our patients. Major emphasis is given to top-notch clinical care, participation in national clinical trials to further screening guideline policies, investigation of important laboratory observations that translate into clinical applications, and education and outreach in the neighboring south side community.

Patient Care

We provide a full spectrum of Mammographic, Sonographic, 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 and those with newly diagnosed breast cancer. We work collaboratively with the medical and radiation oncologists, surgeons and pathologists, and hold a weekly multi-disciplinary conference. At this conference, all of the clinical, imaging and pathologic data for each new cancer patient are presented, with personalized management plans 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.

Clinical Trials + Translational Research

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 award and/or participation in several federally funded grants and industry sponsored clinical trials. Our well established research activities are supported by a number of sources including the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and many non-federal granting agencies such as the American Cancer Society.

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 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.

Community Outreach

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

Section Chief