Bi-rads guide to the non-specialist : understanding the breast specialist's jargon

Abstract

According to the American Cancer Society, approximately one in eight women will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. This is why breast cancer screening has become so important and why it is being given so much attention by healthcare planners. A standardised and evidence- based protocol for breast cancer screening and breast cancer management is needed to optimise treatment outcomes. This has been the driving force behind the development of BI-RADS, which stands for Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System. In the past, the medical jargon used for describing imaging findings on mammograms, was highly non-standardised and was influenced by personal preference. This often led to miscommunication and sometimes even mismanagement due to misinterpretation of communicated results. These factors led to efforts that started in the late 1980s aimed at standardising mammographic terminology and reporting. In 1993, the first edition of the BI-RADS lexicon was issued by the American College of Radiology.