UW Radiology

Breast Imaging News Archive

October 23, 2023

Dr. Brian Dontchos elected as Fellow to SBI

Logo for the Society of Breast Imaging since 1985

Congratulations to associate professor Brian Dontchos, M.D., Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center Clinical Director of Breast Imaging, on being elected into Fellowship in the Society of Breast Imaging (SBI). SBI Fellowship is among the highest honors bestowed upon members of the Society. Recipients are awarded this fellowship based on their outstanding contributions and service to breast…


October 13, 2023

Four UW Radiologists to receive Distinguished Investigator Awards

A collage of four images of doctors Christoph Lee, Janie Lee, Mahmud Mossa-Basha, and Habib Rahbar. The heading reads: Distinguished Investigator Awards.

Congratulations to UW Radiology doctors and professors Christoph Lee, Janie Lee, Mahmud Mossa-Basha and Habib Rahbar who have each been selected to receive 2023 Distinguished Investigator Awards from The Academy for Radiology & Biomedical Imaging Research (the Academy). This prestigious honor recognizes individuals for their outstanding contributions to the field of medical imaging. The 2023…


September 14, 2023

Dr. Lee to receive Honorary Educator award at Korean Congress of Radiology 2023

A photo of a smiling Dr. Janie Lee next to a purple and gold graphic that reads: Honored Educator Award. There is a UW Medicine Department of Radiology logo at the bottom.

Congratulations to Professor Janie Lee, MD, who is being granted an Honorary Educator Award by the Korean Society of Radiology (KSR) 2023. This award is given to non-KSR members who have made significant contributions to the educational and academic activities of the Korean Society of Radiology. You can view the full list of recipients and…


September 7, 2023

New study on contrast mammography and abbreviated breast MRI for screening

A collage of two photos of Marissa Lawson and Janie Lee. Both are dressed in professional attire and smile at the camera in front of a grey background.

The UW Breast Imaging research team led by Assistant Professor Marissa Lawson, MD (lead author, pictured left) and Professor Janie Lee, MD (senior author, right) recently published a new study in Radiology on the topic of breast cancer screening with contrast-enhanced mammography compared with Abbreviated MRI. Study results indicated that breast cancer screening performance with…


May 22, 2023

Dr. Dontchos on new screening requirements: KIRO-TV

A close-up image of Dr. Brian Dontchos. Brian smiles into the camera in front of a natural setting,

Brian Dontchos, MD was interviewed by KIRO-TV in response to newly updated mammography screening guidelines provided by the US Task Force for Prevention Services (USTPS). The new guidelines recommend screening every 2 years from 40 and then annual screenings from age 50 on up, as opposed to the task force’s prior recommendation, which was for…


May 9, 2023

New study on Digital Breast Tomosynthesis performance for breast cancer screening

Dr. Christoph Lee is lead author of a recently published study indicating that since its implementation post-approval by the FDA in 2011, digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) has improved breast cancer screening performance in community practice and identifies more invasive cancers compared to digital mammography. “Our study demonstrated that more radiologists in U.S. community practice are…


Breast Screening returns at Seattle King County Clinic after 3 long years!

For the first time since the covid-19 pandemic put everything on hold in March 2020, the Seattle and King County free clinic made its triumphant return! This free clinic is designed to help remove barriers to healthcare, especially for people who have low income or are under/uninsured. The event ran from April 27th through 30th…


March 31, 2023

Kathryn Lowry, M.D., accepted as Fellow in SBI

Congratulations to Katy Lowry, M.D. on her acceptance as a fellow in the Society of Breast Imaging! SBI Fellowship is among the highest honors bestowed upon members of the Society of Breast Imaging. Recipients awarded this fellowship demonstrate sustained and verifiable success pertaining to breast imaging in at least three of the following areas: (1)…


March 29, 2023

Janie Lee M.D., M.Sc. to receive AUR 2023 RAHSR Achievement Award

Congratulations to Janie Lee, M.D., MSc. who has been announced as the recipient of the 2023 RAHSR Achievement Award! The RAHSR (Radiology Alliance for Health Services Research) Award honors one researcher every year who has distinguished themselves through their outstanding contributions to health services research. Dr. Lee will be presented with this award at the…


March 14, 2023

Christoph Lee, M.D., made Fellow of the AUR 2023

Congratulations to Christoph Lee, M.D., M.S., MBA on being made Fellow of the Association of University Radiologists (AUR) for 2023! The AUR grants fellowship status to individuals who have made contributions in administration, mentorship, professionalism, research, teaching, and leadership in organized medicine, and scholarship and service to the AUR over the years. Read more about…


March 1, 2023

Article by Brian Dontchos, M.D., awarded Best of AJR 2022

An article written by Associate Professor and FHCC Clinical Director of Breast Imaging Brian Dontchos, M.D., and colleagues was awarded Best of American Journal of Roentgenology (AJR) in the breast imaging section for 2022. The research paper, “Disparities in Same-Day Diagnostic Imaging in Breast Cancer Screening: Impact of an Immediate-Read Screening Mammography Program Implemented During the…


February 15, 2023

Marissa Lawson, M.D., receives 2023 GERRAF Award

Marissa Lawson, M.D., was named one of three recipients of the 2023 GERRAF (GE-AUR Radiology Research Academic Fellowship) Award. Dr. Lawson, an assistant professor of breast imaging, was granted the distinction for her project, “Disparities in Diagnostic Work-Up and Outcomes after Abnormal Screening Mammography.” The GERRAF fellowships have been some of the most sought-after awards…


January 4, 2023

Article by Marissa Lawson, M.D., Among Top 10 Most Talked About JAMA Oncology Articles of 2022

An article published by Marissa Lawson, M.D., was among the top 10 most talked about articles of 2022 published in JAMA Oncology. The article, titled “Multilevel Factors Associated with Time to Biopsy After Abnormal Screening Mammography Results by Race and Ethnicity,” suggests structural racism as a major contributor to delayed diagnoses among U.S. women of…


November 28, 2022

Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium awarded $15 million grant renewal from National Cancer Institute

The Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC) — including Radiology Professor and Director of Breast Imaging at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance Janie Lee, M.D., M.Sc., and Radiology Professor and Breast Imaging Fellowship Director Christoph Lee, M.D., M.S., MBA — was awarded a 5-year $15 million grant renewal from the National Cancer Institute. The grant renewal, titled “Advancing…


November 22, 2022

Savannah Partridge, Ph.D., co-edits two new books

picture of Dr. Savannah Partridge. She smiles at the camera. she has shoulder-length blonde hair, a purple crewneck, and a grey blazer.

Savannah Partridge, Ph.D., Professor of Radiology in the breast imaging section, co-edited two new books: “Diffusion MRI of the Breast, 1st Edition” and “Breast MRI: State of the Art and Future Directions,” both published by Elsevier. “Diffusion MRI of the Breast, 1st Edition” was co-edited with Mami Iima, M.D., Ph.D. and Denis Le Bihan, M.D.,…


November 18, 2022

Fall 2022 Educator Spotlight: Diana Lam, M.D.

Welcome to our Educator Spotlight series, where we highlight educators doing great work in the Department of Radiology. Our Fall 2022 Educator Spotlight is Diana Lam, M.D., associate professor and Clinical Director of Breast Imaging at UW-Northwest.  What are your hobbies and interests outside of work? Gardening Sleuthing for and upcycling items Figuring out how…


September 30, 2022

Seattle Cancer Care Alliance is now Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance have merged, creating an organization that aims to bring scientific advances to patients faster, and deepens longstanding ties with UW Medicine. Under the restructuring, the two entities are now a single, independent, not-for-profit organization called Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, which provides oncology care for UW…


June 25, 2022

Savannah Partridge, Ph.D., named SBI Honorary Fellow 2022

Congratulations to Savannah Partridge, Ph.D., who was named Society of Breast Imaging (SBI) Honorary Fellow at the SBI ACR Breast Imaging Symposium 2022! The award ceremony was held on Tuesday May 17th.  Honorary Fellows are individuals who have made outstanding contributions to breast imaging and who are otherwise eligible for membership in the society. They…


June 23, 2022

JAMA Oncology study led by Marissa Lawson, M.D., suggests ‘structural racism’ in breast-biopsy delays

Marissa Lawson, M.D., had her first-authored original research paper published in JAMA Oncology today. The paper suggests structural racism as a major contributor to delayed diagnoses among U.S. women of minority race and ethnicity after abnormal mammography screenings.  “Even after adjusting for multiple factors thought to contribute to delayed diagnosis, we still see persistent disparities…


June 19, 2022

Anum Kazerouni, Ph.D., awarded Earlier.org pilot grant

Congratulations to Anum Kazerouni, Ph.D. who has been awarded a pilot grant by Earlier.org for her research proposal titled, “Improved breast cancer screening and lesion diagnosis with ultrafast dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE-) MRI.” This research represents an exciting new opportunity for earlier detection of breast cancer. The goal of this pilot project is to improve the…


May 23, 2022

Anum Kazerouni, Ph.D., receives QIN Young Investigator Award

Congratulations to Anum Kazerouni, Ph.D, who received the Quantitative Imaging Network (QIN) Young Investigator award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at their conference on May 20th. The purpose of the award is to recognize the contributions made by a young scientist, engineer, clinical staff or technical contributor in the field of quantitative imaging as…


February 22, 2022

Kathryn Lowry, M.D., authors publication in JAMA Oncology

Congratulations to Kathryn Lowry, M.D. on her authorship of an original investigation recently published in JAMA Oncology: “Breast Cancer Screening Strategies for Women with ATM, CHEK2, and PALB2 Pathogenic Variants: A Comparative Modeling Analysis”. The study suggests that Annual MRI screening starting at age 30 to 35 years followed by annual MRI and mammography starting…


February 14, 2022

Dr. Janie Lee contributes to new report from President’s Cancer Panel

Dr. Janie Lee was a contributing advisor to the U.S. President’s Cancer Panel, which held a series of meetings in the last year on the uptake of cancer screening, focusing on breast, cervical, colorectal, and lung cancers. The panel created a report, “Closing Gaps in Cancer Screening: Connecting People, Communities, and Systems to Improve Equity…


December 23, 2021

Savannah Partridge, Ph.D., to be named Honorary Fellow at upcoming Breast Imaging Symposium

Savannah Partridge, Ph.D., will be inducted as an Honorary Fellow at the Society of Breast Imaging/American College of Radiology (SBI/ACR) Breast Imaging Symposium, to be held May 16-19, 2022. Honorary Fellow status is designated to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to breast imaging. Dr. Partridge, a professor of Radiology and research director of the…


December 20, 2021

Marissa Lawson, M.D., awarded post-doctorate in 3DCR training program

Congratulations to Breast Imaging Fellow Marissa Lawson, M.D., who was offered a post-doctoral position on the Data Driven Cancer Researchers training program (3DCR). Trainees of the program learn to approach cancer research from the perspective of the strengths, weaknesses, value, and analytic features of different types of data including multi-omics, clinical, administrative, medical-record-based, survey, and…


December 17, 2021

Kathryn Lowry, M.D., awarded American Cancer Society grant

Congratulations to Kathryn Lowry, M.D., who was awarded the American Cancer Society (ACS) Clinical Scientist Development Grant. The ACS award is a mentored four-year award to support the career development and training of junior physician scientists.  Dr. Lowry will be mentored by Dr. Christoph Lee, Dr. Joann Elmore (David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA), and…


Breast Health Equity Project kicks off with two events

The Breast Health Equity Project, an enterprise-wide effort to improve breast screening rates in underserved populations, kicked off on Oct. 16 and 17 with two successful community events. The events, which provided outreach and information to at least 150 attendees, were in collaboration with Cierra Sisters and New Beginnings Christian Fellowship in Renton, Washington.


Janie Lee, M.D., contributes to UW Medicine article on why Black women need breast cancer screenings

Janie Lee, M.D., contributed to an article published in UW Medicine’s online wellness journal Right as Rain on why more Black women need breast cancer screening. “Black women are diagnosed with breast cancer about four years earlier than white women, around age 59 versus 63,” Dr. Lee said. “Twenty-two percent of breast cancers in Black…


Kathryn Lowry, M.D., authors paper on decreased minority screening during pandemic

Kathryn Lowry, M.D., is the key author of a paper focusing on the decrease overall in breast screening among minority women throughout the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.  “Despite the swift return to pre-pandemic monthly volumes, as of July 2020 year-to-date screening and diagnostic mammography examinations in the BCSC were only 66% and 80%…


August 3, 2021

Dr. Scheel named Chair & Director of Breast Health Global Initiative

Congratulations to Dr. John Scheel, who was recently appointed as Chair and Director of the Fred Hutch Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI). BHGI develops, implements and studies evidence-based, economically feasible, and culturally appropriate Guidelines for International Breast Health and Cancer Control for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), to improve breast health outcomes and access to breast…


July 19, 2021

13 tips for your first mammogram

Janie Lee, MD was featured as an breast imaging expert source for a recent U.S. News & World Report Health article titled, “13 Tips for Your First Mammogram”. Dr. Lee discussed the recently updated American College of Radiology and Society of Breast Imaging guidelines, which are “focused on being more inclusive of all women at…


June 17, 2021

Digital mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis performance and outcomes in breast cancer survivors

In a study recently published in Radiology, a research team led by Janie Lee, MD and including Katy Lowry, MD evaluated whether digital mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis have improved diagnostic performance of surveillance mammography.  The study included 117,971 mammograms from 32,331 women with treated breast cancer.  The researchers found little improvement in performance when the…


A Risk-Based Approach for Triaging Mammography Examinations During Periods of Reduced Capacity

Christoph Lee, MD and Janie Lee, MD recently co-authored a study published in the JAMA Network Open which recommended a new method of triaging mammograms during periods of decreased capacity– such as pandemic surges, when individuals may also experience anxiety about COVID-19. The study’s findings suggest that a risk-based approach- prioritizing individuals most like ly…


June 11, 2021

Debosmita Biswas receives Summa cum Laude award at ISMRM 2021

Congratulations to scientist Debosmita Biswas, MS, a member of Dr. Savannah Partidge‘s research team! She was awarded the Summa cum Laude award at this year’s ISMRM annual meeting for her abstract ‘Impact of retrospective gradient nonlinearity correction on lesion ADCs and performance in the ECOG-ACRIN A6702 multicenter breast DWI trial’ which studies diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI), an…


May 3, 2021

Diana Lam, MD inducted as Fellow to SBI

  Congratulations to Diana Lam, MD, on her induction as a new Fellow to the Society of Breast Imaging (FSBI) during their annual SBI Fellows meeting on April 26th. This distinction is among the highest honors bestowed upon members of the Society of Breast Imaging and is granted to SBI members who have demonstrated excellence…


April 26, 2021

Christoph Lee, MD awarded $3 million research grant from NCI

Dr. Christoph Lee, Director of NW SCORE, was awarded a 5-year, $3 million research grant from the National Cancer Institute (R01 CA266377) for his study, “Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Breast Cancer Diagnostic Work Up and Outcomes”. Dr. Janie Lee, Section Chief of Breast Imaging and Co-Director of NW SCORE,  is Co-Investigator on the award….


April 19, 2021

Dr. Partridge, collaborators awarded NIH/NCI funding for new multicenter imaging trial

Congratulations to Savannah Partridge, Ph.D. and her collaborators at Oregon Health & Sciences University and University of Wisconsin-Madison on a new 5-year $2.5 million grant from the National Cancer Institute of the NIH to support their project titled, “Multicenter Quantitative MRI Assessment of Breast Cancer Therapy Response”. Per Dr. Partridge, “We will study the utility of…


March 24, 2021

Christoph Lee awarded Kuni Foundation grant

Dr. Christoph Lee was awarded a 2021 Kuni Foundation Cancer Research Grant to help develop an infrastructure for evaluating promising artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms for automated mammography screening interpretation at the University of Washington (UW). This $75,000 award will provide the resources to expand ongoing NCI-funded efforts validating a promising AI algorithm for mammography in…


March 1, 2021

Catching Breast Cancer Earlier in Black Women

UW Medicine has launched a new Breast Cancer Equity Initiative, which seeks to reduce disparities and inequities in the healthcare system by increasing mammography screening rates among black women.  Dr. Janie Lee and Jovanna McKinney, SCCA Imaging Access Manager, are members of this working group. You can learn more about it here.


Dr. Lee featured in equity study of 3D mammography

The JAMA Network open recently published a new study by Christoph Lee, MD , called “Comparative Access to and Use of Digital Tomosynthesis Screening by Women’s Race/Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status” which focuses on whether adoption of 3D technology is equally shared across sub-populations of women. “We’re showing that it has not been, even though it…


December 15, 2020

Christoph Lee, MD in New York Times article

Christoph Lee, MD is quoted in a New York Times article reporting on the decline in people seeking medical care due to the current pandemic, and how it is providing a unique opportunity to re-examine the impact of decreased cancer screenings on outcomes. Before the pandemic, about 100,000 women had screening mammograms each day in…


December 4, 2020

Janie Lee, MD Honored Educator at RSNA 2020

Congratulations to Janie Lee, MD on receiving the Radiological Society of North America’s  2020 Honored Educator Award!  This Award recognizes RSNA members for their efforts to advance radiologic education through the creation of high-quality educational content in their field of study. You can read the details here.    


November 12, 2020

Diagnostic Imaging’s Weekly Scan features Dr. Christoph Lee

Dr. Christoph Lee discussed the latest trends and innovations in breast imaging with senior editor Whitney Palmer.  Watch the video here.  Note:  The interview with Dr. Lee starts at 4:25      


November 10, 2020

Dr Rahbar on Importance of Mammograms in Lifehacker.com

Dr. Habib Rahbar is quoted in lifehacker.com’s planning guide for mammograms, which was published in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month in October. Among the information he provides is dispelling the myth that mammograms are not helpful in women with dense breasts.  “While mammograms can find less cancers in women who have dense breasts, they…


August 17, 2020

New study on benefits of 3D mammograms

Katy Lowry, MD is lead author of a new study from the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium, along with co-authors Christoph Lee, MD, MS, MBA and Janie Lee, MD, on the benefits of Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT).  Published in the JAMA Network Open, this study suggests that improvements in recall rate and cancer detection with DBT…


June 9, 2020

Updated Breast Imaging Teaching Files

The UW Breast Imaging Teaching Files, originally created by faculty alumna Katherine E. Dee, MD, have added new cases and content. They have been updated by Drs. Steven J. Rockoff and Diana L. Lam to reflect changes in medical knowledge, imaging technology and clinical practice You may access the all new and archived Breast Teaching…


April 29, 2020

Dr. Partridge research team awarded grant for CCSG Pilot study

Congratulations to Savannah Partridge, Ph.D. and her research group on a Fred Hutch/UW Cancer Consortium 2020 Pilot Grant titled, “Radiomics-based Phenotyping for Improved Biologic Stratification and Treatment of Breast Tumors”.  Per Dr. Partridge, “We will study breast MRI radiomics-based tumor phenotypes in women with Triple-negative breast cancer and evaluate associations with response to treatment, level…


April 6, 2020

Dr. Christoph Lee discusses how AI can improve accuracy in mammography

Read the full article here.


March 2, 2020

Dr. Habib Rahbar on abbreviated breast MRI for screening

A new research study published in JAMA compared abbreviated breast MRI (AB-MR) – a faster, more targeted version of MRI – with digital breast tomosynthesis, also known as 3-D mammography,  for breast cancer screening in women with dense breasts.  Habib Rahbar, MD, was the Principal Investigator for the Fred Hutch / University of Washington Cancer…


Dr. Christoph Lee secures $4.5M MERIT award from NIH

Congratulations to Dr. Christoph Lee, MD on his recent Method to Extend Research Time (MERIT) award of $4.5 million from the National Institutes of Health.  Lee is leading a multidisciplinary team of experts in breast cancer screening, machine and deep learning, data science and imaging technology assessment. Their goal is to take a validated, highly…


February 27, 2020

Dr. Katy Lowry selected for Academy Council of Early Investigators

Congratulations to Dr. Katy Lowry, MD on her sponsorship by The Society of Breast Imaging to be a member of The Academy for Radiology & Biomedical Imaging Research‘s Council for Early Career Investigators in Imaging (CECI2), class of 2020.  The Council was created in 2014 to recognize the achievements of researchers who are in the…


Dr. Rahbar honorary coach at Husky Women’s “Pink Out” Basketball Game

At the UW Women’s Basketball “Pink Out” Breast Cancer Awareness game on Friday, Febuary 21, thirteen breast cancer survivors were honored on the court along side radiology representatives.  Dr. Habib Rahbar, MD served as Honorary Coach and Eastside Specialty Clinic mammography technologist Minh Phan was Honorary Assistant Coach. Breast cancer survivors were recognized during starting…


February 24, 2020

Mammovan at Washington state’s largest annual free health clinic

The Seattle/King County Clinic brought together healthcare organizations, civic agencies, non-profits, private businesses, and volunteers from across the State of Washington to produce a giant free health clinic at Seattle Center.  On February 13th thru 16th, The Seattle King County Clinic served over 3000 patients.  The Seattle Cancer Care Alliance Staff, Techs, and Breast Imaging…


November 5, 2019

New law gives women more insight into their breast density

Any woman who has had a mammogram this year may have noticed that her results report looks a little different from previous years. Since Jan. 1, 2019, facilities such as Seattle Cancer Care Alliance that perform mammograms are required to inform women if they have dense breast tissue. “Density is important because it’s a risk factor for…


Janie Lee, MD featured on King 5 news

On October 28, King 5 news interviewed  Janie Lee, MD  about breast density communication and mammography. Dense breast tissue can mask breast cancer on mammograms, and Washington laws require physicians to educate patients about breast density and mammogram effectiveness.  When it comes to getting a traditional mammogram versus a three-dimensional one, Dr. Lee advises that…


October 15, 2019

Janie Lee, MD, and Kalpana Kanal, Ph.D. present at Eastside Specialty Center women’s health event

 On October 5, Janie Lee, MD and Kalpana Kanal, PhD from UW Radiology were featured speakers at the UW Eastside Specialty Clinic’s  women’s health and wellness celebration. Washington State Senator Patty Kuderer served as master of ceremonies.  The event emphasized women’s empowerment via education on important healthcare topics, such as Women & Heart Disease, Endocrinology,…


September 30, 2019

Is screening with 3-D mammography worth the additional cost?

A new study led by Kathryn Lowry, MD and published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute showed that shifting breast cancer screening from digital mammography to digital breast tomosynthesis (also known as 3-D mammography) reduced recall rates, but achieved only modest improvements in reducing breast cancer deaths. “There are clear benefits to screening with…


Dr. Rahbar to serve as Vice Chair for RSNA R&E Foundation Research Trainee Grant Study Section

Congratulations to Dr. Habib Rahbar, who is recently confirmed as Vice Chair to the RSNA Foundation’s Radiology Research Trainee Grant Study Section. This study section evaluates and scores the Foundation’s radiology research trainee grant applications, supporting promising young investigators who are working to improve patient care through their research efforts.  For more information on RSNA’s Research…


August 26, 2019

Dense breast notification laws not leading to more screening ultrasound

New research from the University of Washington, led by Christoph Lee, MD.  focuses on whether dense breast notification laws changed how often physicians ordered screening ultrasounds for women.  The research team examined data from 12,787 wellness visits from 2007 to 2015 by women 40 to 74 years old. Overall, about 29% of the women had breast…


July 18, 2019

Preoperative MRI Improves Surgical Planning and Outcomes of DCIS

In a new research study led by Diana Lam, MD and Habib Rahbar, MD, “Preoperative breast MRI can provide more sensitive and accurate assessments of DCIS disease extent compared to mammography alone, which theoretically could assist with determining the optimal surgical approach and allow for improved breast-conserving surgery outcomes.” Preop breast MRI improves DCIS surgical planning https://www.radiologybusiness.com/topics/quality/pmri-dcis-diagnosis-patient-care-surgery-bcs


June 25, 2019

ISMRM 2019 conference recap

University of Washington researchers are working to develop new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to improve detection and diagnosis of breast cancer.


June 12, 2019

Savannah Partridge, Ph.D., Named to the 2019 Council of Distinguished Investigators

Congratulations to Savannah Partridge, Ph.D. for being named to the 2019 Council of Distinguished Investigators. The honor recognizes individuals for their accomplishments in the field of medical imaging. The program encourages those who have achieved scientific excellence while being involved in clinical care. The recipients of this award have completed at least six year of…


March 29, 2019

Dr. Diana Lam Highlights Mobile Mammography Screening

Dr. Diana Lam appeared on King5 Early Morning News to discuss the Breast Imaging program and the Mobile Mammography Unit.   https://www.iqmediacorp.com/ClipPlayer/?ClipID=c8169e9b-6378-4a3d-ab86-f9410279c86a


March 28, 2019

New Study Questions The Value of Supplemental Breast Ultrasound

Led by Dr. Janie Lee,  a research study of women with dense breast tissue found that the benefits to screening ultrasounds were modest while its potential harms were high. Comparing mammography plus ultrasonography with mammography alone, significantly higher rates of recommendation for non-invasive imaging follow up and biopsies were observed, without significantly increased cancer detection rate or…


January 16, 2019

Dr. Christoph Lee named the new JACR® Deputy Editor!

Dr. Christoph Lee has been appointed the new Deputy Editor of JACR! Dr. Lee will assist the Editor-in-Chief, Ruth Carlos, with making final decisions on original research manuscript submissions, overseeing the peer review process, overseeing special projects including an annual theme issue, and acting as Editor-in-Chief when Dr. Carlos is absent. Dr. Lee has been a JACR editorial board…


December 31, 2018

Washington State’s New Breast Density Law

Washington state has a new breast density notification law that goes into effect on January 1, 2019.  Dr. Janie Lee discusses what having dense breast means for you — and why it’s important.  “Having dense breasts does not mean you’re automatically at high risk of getting breast cancer,” she explains. Link to the full article https://rightasrain.uwmedicine.org/well/prevention/breast-density


December 18, 2018

Are Better Clinical Results from Digital Breast Tomosynthesis Worth the Cost?

“Digital breast tomosynthesis is replacing digital mammography as the modality for routine breast cancer screening in the U.S., and its benefits include reduced recall rates and improved cancer detection rates,” said  Dr. Kathryn Lowry of the University of Washington in Seattle in an article by auntminnie.com highlighting her research presentation at the 2018 Radiological Society of…


December 5, 2018

SCCA at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium

Dr. Janie Lee was among Breast Program physicians who gave presentations at the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.  Dr. Lee discussed abstracts on screening, diagnosis, and residual disease detection in a Spotlight Session. SCCA at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium


November 5, 2018

Raising Awareness for Breast Cancer Early Detection

For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Dr. Janie Lee, UW Associate Professor of Radiology and Director of Breast Imaging at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, discussed breast cancer early detection and treatment, along with Dr. Nanette Robinson, Medical Oncologist at Virginia Mason in an interview hosted by Luciana Bosio of iHeart Radio.


Is automated whole-breast ultrasound a valid supplemental screening modality for all women with dense breasts?

Dr. Janie Lee and Dr. Diana Miglioretti offer their answer to this question.  Dr. Rachel Brem offers another perspective in this point-counterpoint exchange. “At this time, until we can determine which women will clearly benefit from supplemental ultrasound screening, we do not support the use of ultrasound screening — either handheld or ABUS — for all…


October 23, 2018

No time for a mammogram? SCCA’s Mammogram Van will come to you

Seattle Cancer Care Alliance’s mobile Mammogram Van travels across King County, offering mammograms with the same quality of care offered at SCCA’s main clinic in South Lake Union.  Appointments may be scheduled in advance, walk-ins are also welcome. SCCA Blog


September 27, 2018

Seattle/King County Clinic – SCCA Mobile Mammogram Van at KeyArena

The Seattle/King County Clinic brought together healthcare organizations, civic agencies, non-profits, private businesses, and volunteers from across the State of Washington to produce a giant free health clinic in KeyArena at Seattle Center. Seattle Cancer Care Alliance Staff, Techs, and Breast Imaging Radiologists provided 239 screening mammograms on the mobile mammography van over the 4-day event. Follow-up care,…


How does adopting DBT impact an imaging provider’s screening volumes?

Adopting digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) at your facility does not lead to a drop in monthly breast cancer screening volumes, according to new research published in the American Journal of Roentgenology. “The present study … shows no evidence of decreased capacity for breast cancer imaging after DBT adoption,” wrote lead author Christoph I. Lee, MD,…


September 21, 2018

Diffusion-weighted MRI Findings Predict Pathologic Response in Neoadjuvant Treatment of Breast Cancer: The ACRIN 6698 Multicenter Trial

Dr. Savannah Partridge’s study titled “Diffusion-weighted MRI Findings Predict Pathologic Response in Neoadjuvant Treatment of Breast Cancer: The ACRIN 6698 Multicenter Trial” was published in the RSNA Radiology Journals and featured on AuntMinnie.com. The study found that change in breast tumor apparent diffusion coefficient on breast MRI performed at the mid-treatment time point (12 weeks)…


August 25, 2018

‘Mammovan’ at Standup for the Cure event

The Seattle Cancer Care Alliance’s ‘Mammovan’ was at the Standup for the Cure event at Lake Sammamish on August 25, offering breast cancer screening during the fundraising event for early breast cancer detection, treatment and education. Dr. Janie Lee and Jovanna McKinney joined Sports Director, Mike Ferreri, and KOMO News anchor, Mary Nam, to talk about…


August 16, 2018

Dr. Savannah Partridge receives a U01 grant from the NIH

Dr. Savannah Partridge, along with collaborators at the University of California, San Francisco, has been awarded a 5-year U01 grant from the NIH National Cancer Institute titled: “Quantitative Imaging for Assessing Breast Cancer Response to Treatment.” The study will develop more rigorous quantitative breast MRI techniques to improve accuracy and reliability for monitoring therapy and…


July 5, 2018

Dr. Janie Lee receives a CCSG- Funded Catchment Area Health Pilot Award

Dr. Janie Lee has received a CCSG- funded Catchment Area Health Pilot Award titled: “Receipt of Screening Mammography and Association with Outcomes in the Cancer Consortium Catchment Area.” The study will create a new research dataset to validate self-report of mammography screening with direct data on utilization, and provide a more comprehensive assessment of breast…


June 21, 2018

Risk of Interval Invasive Second Breast Cancers

In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, Dr. Janie Lee et al. studied 65,084 surveillance mammograms from 18,366 women with a primary breast cancer.  “Risk of interval invasive second breast cancer varies across women and is influenced by characteristics that can be measured at initial diagnosis, treatment, and imaging. Risk prediction models that evaluate the…


May 9, 2018

Dr. John Scheel receives RSNA Education Scholar Grant

Dr. John Scheel has received a 2018 RSNA Education Scholar Grant, for a study titled “Reducing Healthcare System Delays Contributing to Late-stage Breast Cancer Diagnosis in Uganda.” RSNA Education Scholar Grant Information


April 25, 2018

New Breast Density Notification Law in Washington State

Washington state has a new breast density notification law, which requires facilities which perform mammography to notify women if they have dense breast tissue. Dr. Janie Lee discussed this new law with the UW Medicine Newsroom, saying that it’s “important for women to know that having dense breasts does not mean that you are automatically…


Diana Lam selected for AAMC Early Career Women Faculty Leadership Development Seminar

Congratulations to Dr. Diana Lam who has been selected for the Association of American Medical College’s Early Career Women Faculty Leadership Development Seminar! This seminar is highly interactive and provides women at the assistant professor or instructor level with the knowledge and skills required to navigate the academic medicine enterprise as well as continue on the…


April 2, 2018

Underutilization of Supplemental MRI Screening Among Patients at High Breast Cancer Risk

Dr. Christoph Lee and a team of researchers coauthored the study entitled “Underutilization of Supplemental MRI Screening Among Patients at High Breast Cancer Risk,” which was featured in the Journal of Women’s Health.


March 23, 2018

Dr. Sana Parsian Awarded Third Place for the Trainee Prize Scientific Paper

The Association of University Radiologists (AUR) awarded Dr. Sana Parsian third place for the Scientific Trainee Prize for her abstract: “A Checklist Manifesto: Effectiveness of Checklist Use in Hands-on Simulation Examining Competency in Contrast Reaction Management and Conflict Resolution.”


Dr. Habib Rahbar Named Co-Chair of ECOG – ACRIN Radiomics Working Group

The ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group is a multidisciplinary, membership-based scientific organization that designs and conducts biomarker-driven cancer research involving adults who have or are at risk of developing cancer.


March 9, 2018

Dr. John Scheel receives 2018 Global Oncology Pilot Research Award

Dr. John Scheel receives 2018 Global Oncology Pilot Research Award. “Evaluating the Dissemination and Interpretive Performance of the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) after its Implementation in Uganda” has been selected for a pilot research award from the 2018 Global Oncology Cross-Divisional Collaboration Initiative – which seeks to improve cancer diagnosis in low-and middle-income…


March 1, 2018

Dr. Kathryn P. Lowry Receives Association of University Radiologists GE Radiology Research Academic Fellowship Award

Congratulations to Dr. Kathryn P. Lowry, M.D. who has received the 2018 AUR GE Radiology Research Academic Fellowship (GERRAF) Award.


New Textbook: Rotations in Radiology: Breast Imaging.

Dr. Christoph Lee along with Dr. Constance Lehman and Dr. Lawrence Bassett, have published a new textbook, Rotations in Radiology: Breast Imaging by Oxford University Press.  


February 15, 2018

Lobular Breast Cancer Comes Into the Spotlight

Research collaborations, patient advocates push to explore ‘sneaky,’ understudied breast cancer subtype’s standing as a distinct disease.


December 12, 2017

Dr. Christoph Lee Awarded Association of University Radiologists Imaging Research Policy Grant

The University of Washington Department of Radiology would like to congratulate Dr. Christoph Lee for being awarded the highly competitive AUR Imaging Research Policy Grant. The purpose of the AUR Research and Education Foundation/RAHSR Imaging Policy Research Grant is to promote health services research translationally focused on advancing imaging health policy initiatives. 


December 7, 2017

Dr. John Scheel Inducted as a Fellow of the Society of Breast Imaging

Dr. John Scheel was inducted as a fellow of the Society of Breast Imaging (SBI) at the recent SBI Fellows Meeting in Chicago


November 2, 2017

MRI Technique Beats Breast Ultrasound at Supplemental Screening

Diffusion weighted MRI (DWI) may have the potential to be a safer and more cost-effective method for screening for breast cancers.


November 1, 2017

Seattle/King County Clinic – Thousands flock to Seattle Center for Free Health Care Weekend

More than 4,000 patients received care at the SKCC, which began Thursday and ended Sunday at Key Arena. 


October 25, 2017

Breast MRI Performance Study Highlighted

RSNA News recently profiled the work of Dr. Janie M. Lee and colleagues in the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. 


Sana Parsian, MD Awarded RSNA 2017 Student Travel Award

Congratulations to Sana Parsian, MD (2017-2018 Breast Imaging Acting Instructor/Senior Fellow) for being awarded a Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 2017 Student Travel Award for young investigators. 


Allison A. Tillack, MD Awarded RSNA 2017 Student Travel Award

Congratulations to Allison A. Tillack, MD (UW Radiology Resident), mentee of Dr. John R. Scheel, for being awarded a Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) 2017 Student Travel Award for young investigators. 


October 23, 2017

Tips for Breast Cancer Screening and Early Detection

Fred Hutch reports on nine new tips to encourage early detection of breast cancer.


October 20, 2017

HICOR 2016-2017 Annual Report Features Dr. Janie M. Lee and Dr. Christoph I. Lee

In the 2016-2017 annual report of the Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research (HICOR), Dr. Janie M. Lee and Dr. Christoph I. Lee are featured in an article titled “Improving Value in Cancer Imaging.” (Highlighted on page 7)


Latinas Tend to Prefer Fixed-site Over Mobile Mammography—but Many Come Around with Education, Experience

Mobile screening mammography providers planning to serve medically underserved Latino communities may do well to first communicate with each community on perceptions of such services and, where needed, to offer education prior to rolling in. The most common causes of mobile-averse attitudes are concerns over privacy, comfort and quality. (Quotes Dr. John R. Scheel’s findings…


September 29, 2017

The Path to Precision Screening for Cancer

A more tailored approach is on the horizon for early detection of breast and prostate cancer.  We are slowly moving away from one-size-fits-all breast cancer screening toward considering additional risk factors such as breast density.   (quotes Dr. Janie M. Lee and highlights EA1141 Clinical Trial at UW SCCA)


August 30, 2017

Dr. Joann Elmore and Dr. Janie Lee on Why Mammogram Screenings are More Complex Than We Imagined

University of Washington doctors Joann Elmore from the Department of Medicine and Janie M. Lee from the Department of Radiology discuss breast cancer screening with Adam Conover, an investigative comedian and host of truTV’s show Adam Ruins Everything.


August 1, 2017

New Physician Announcement: Welcoming Kathryn (Katy) Lowry, MD

 We are pleased to announce that Dr. Kathryn (Katy) Lowry, MD has joined the UW Dept. of Radiology and Breast Imaging practice at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.


July 10, 2017

Dr. Diana Lam, MD: Diagnostic Radiology Residency Associate Program Director

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Diana Lam has joined the Diagnostic Radiology Residency as Associate Program Director.  With Diana’s dedication to education, detail, and excellence she will be a great addition to the program.  Please join us in congratulating Diana!


July 6, 2017

Radiology Report: Satisfying Various Stakeholders

One of the biggest motivators behind today’s changing health care system is greater patient satisfaction: shorter wait times, increased provider empathy, improved outcomes.  (Quotes Dr. Christoph I. Lee)


Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium Receives $17M to Study Breast Cancer Screening

Drs. Christoph I. Lee and Janie M. Lee are investigators with the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC) team.  BCSC, a research collaboration between several universities, has recently received a $17M grant from the National Cancer Institute to study breast screening.  As part of this grant, Dr. Christoph Lee will co-lead a project titled “Breast Cancer…


June 15, 2017

Breast MR Hits Benchmarks in Community Practice

Breast MRI has been shown to perform well as an adjunct to screening mammography in women at high risk for breast cancer. But its efficacy has mostly been evaluated based on trials at academic centers rather than community practices. So how does the modality perform in the real world? (Quotes Dr. Janie M. Lee)


June 8, 2017

Breast MR in Community Practicy Meets ACR Benchmarks

A study of over 13,000 MR breast screening exams determined the modality was meeting performance benchmarks set by the American College of Radiology, but found room for improvement on false-positive results, according to an article published online in Radiology. (quotes study by Dr. Janie M. Lee)


April 21, 2017

Sana Parsian, MD Awarded RSNA 2017 Research Fellow Grant

Congratulations to Sana Parsian, MD (incoming 2017/18 Breast Imaging Acting Instructor/Senior Fellow) for being awarded an RSNA 2017 Research Fellow Grant.


April 1, 2017

UW Dept of Radiology Research Day

The Department of Radiology hosted its annual Research Day Saturday, April 1st welcoming residents, medical and postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and visiting scholars to the SLU Orin Smith Auditorium to highlight their research and engage one another.


January 19, 2017

Dr. John Scheel’s Global Health Work Highlighted in SBI Newsletter

John Scheel, MD, PhD, along with local physicians and government representatives, signs the new national commitment to use the BI-RADS Atlas for reporting at the Uganda Society for Advancement of Radiology and Imaging conference on November 5, 2016.  (Highlighted on cover and page 8) (Quotes Dr. John Scheel)


January 11, 2017

Clearing Up Another Mammogram Muddle

Confused about the latest breast-cancer screening study? Fred Hutch, SCCA experts have answers (Quotes Dr. Habib Rahbar)


January 9, 2017

Christoph I. Lee Receives the Radiology Research Alliance New Investigator Award

Christoph I. Lee, MD, an Associate Professor in the Department of Radiology, University of Washington, is the recipient of the 2017 Radiology Research Alliance (RRA) New Investigator Award which recognizes promising new investigators.  


December 21, 2016

Technology May Bring Radiologists Closer to Patients

Web access to radiology test results predicted to lead to more consultations between radiologists and patients (Quotes Dr. Christoph I. Lee)


November 22, 2016

UW Medicine Resident Linda Chen Receives Member-in-Training Award

Linda Chen, MD, a resident in the UW Radiology program, is the recipient of a 2016 American Association for Women Radiologists (AAWR) Member-in-Training Award.   The AAWR Research and Education Foundation gives two certificates of recognition for professional development to residents or fellows who are both first authors and presenters of abstracts accepted for scientific presentation at…


October 28, 2016

Women Unclear About Breast Density, Breast Cancer Risks

Women are becoming more aware of the term “breast density,” but they aren’t as familiar with its relation to breast cancer risk or mammograms, according to a small U.S. study. (Quotes Dr. Christoph I. Lee)


What’s New in Breast Cancer Research?

Collaborations, combined therapies and machine learning offer promising strategies for boosting early detection, potential cures.   (Quotes Dr. Christoph I. Lee)


October 24, 2016

Mobile Mammogram Van Provides Easy Access to Screenings

Each year, nearly 5000 women in Western Washington will benefit from the SCCA mobile mammogram van, a traveling program providing easy access to screenings.


August 23, 2016

ASCO Connection Features Uganda Breast Cancer Study

A team of researchers from the United States collaborated with the Uganda Women’s Cancer Support Organization (UWOCASO) to create a survey that would give insight into factors influencing breast cancer stage at presentation: self-examination practices, clinical breast examinations in the past year, and preferences for seeking information and education when detecting a palpable lump. The researchers then…


December 21, 2015

Dr. Habib Rahbar awarded the 2015 RSNA Research Scholar Grant

Congratulations to Habib Rahbar, MD (Breast Imaging) on being awarded the 2015 RSNA Research Scholar Grant.  Dr. Rahbar will use this two-year award to investigate improving treatment outcomes of ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast with magnetic resonance imaging.