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What is BI-RADS and Why Is It Important in Breast Cancer Screening?
By Raveena M Prakash
Early detection is vital to better treatment outcomes, and improved survival rates, especially in breast cancer. BI-RADS, also known as Breast Imaging Reporting and Data system is a standardised system, used to assess and report on breast imaging results in a breast cancer diagnosis, including mammograms. These results play a crucial role when there’s a suspicion of breast cancer in patients, because mammogram or breast imaging results usually show the scores of BI–RADS tests, and these scores are significant in finalizing the treatments.
if you are concerned about what the score means and why it's so important in breast cancer diagnosis? Then read further!
In this article, we’ll discover more into the BI-RADS categories, why is BI-RADS are important, and its benefits and limitations and more!
What is BI-RADS?
BI-RADS stands for Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System. It’s a standardized system that many radiologists use to describe and explain the test results of breast imaging, such as ultrasound, mammography, and MRIs. These results also use it to determine the further steps after the imaging tests.
This system is developed to:
- Standardize for the radiologists to report any specific findings from the breast imaging tests, so it often remains consistent across its providers.
- This used to communicate the risk of breast cancer to the patients in a simple way.
BI-RADS categories
BI-RADS Categories are usually numbered from 0 to 6, including:
Categories | Definition | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
0 | Incomplete | These test results often show that the radiologists might have seen an abnormal area in the testing, however further images need to be evaluated to confirm the results, including mammogram or an ultrasound. This test results also means that the radiologists want to compare patients' most recent breast imaging examination with older ones to see if there have been any changes in the area over time. |
1 | Negative | This results shows that the radiologists didn’t find any significant abnormality on the images. |
2 | Benign (non-cancerous) | This result means that the radiologists have found a benign (non-cancerous) area of the breast, including breast cyst, lymph nodes and fibroadenoma. The radiologists record these findings to help when comparing it to the future imaging results. |
3 | Probably Benign | The findings in this category have a greater than 98% chance of becoming benign. The radiologists want to monitor it to confirm this, and it won’t change over time. The patient needs to have additional images, such as mammograms, ultrasounds, and MRIs, every six months. |
4 | Suspicious abnormality | This result shows the finding is not normal, and it has suspicious features suggesting it could be cancer. The radiologists might recommend a breast biopsy to get more information. The findings in this category can have an approximate 2% to 95% chance of being cancerous. |
5 | Highly suggestive of malignancy (Cancer) | This results indicates malignancy which refers to the presence of cancerous cells. This result often indicates that the findings look similar to cancer and have at least 95% of being cancer. The radiologist might strongly recommend getting a breast biopsy of these findings. |
6 | Known-biopsy proven malignancy | Radiologists mostly use these results for findings on a mammogram or MRI that have previously been biopsied and are cancer. Doctors use breast imaging examinations in this condition to find out the extent of the cancer or how well it’s responding to the treatments. |
Why is BI-RADS important?
Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System, also commonly called BI-RADS, is considered significant in breast cancer treatments because it shows standardized breast imaging scores, which helps to ensure consistency and clarity in the communication between radiologists and other healthcare professionals, which further leads to better patient’s lives.
Here’s are more details about why it's important in overall breast health:
- Standardized Communication: Performing BI-RADS tests helps to clear any misunderstandings regarding the breast health of a patient. This makes it easier for the radiologists to interpret the results and decide the best treatments for the patient.
- Improves Treatment Outcomes: With clear guidelines, most patients are less likely to experience delays in terms of cancer diagnosis or unnecessary confusion and tension over unclear results.
- Guides Medical Teams to Take Clinical Decision: These test results provide the risk levels, including BI-RADS levels. It often helps doctors to choose the necessary steps, from additional imaging results to urgent biopsies.
- Supports Health Data Collection and Research: The BI-RADS categories are mostly used in studies and cancer research, which helps most researchers analyze different trends and improve their screening programs.
Benefits of BI-RADS
There are many advantages of performing this breast cancer diagnosis,
Including:
- Standardization: Radiologists usually use the tests to communicate the results to the patients about the findings, the consistency is considered as valuable to quality control and reduces the risk of misunderstandings.
- Risk assessment: BI-RADS tests generally estimate the level of risk connected to breast cancer health, which can be considered helpful for making a decision to get an effective treatment to meet follow-up requirements.
- Efficiency: These test results help to fit the category, which further helps with the efficiency because the majority of radiologists explain the clinical findings regarding the breast health of the patients.
Limitations of BI-RADS
BI-RADS is a significant tool used in the breast cancer diagnosis, However there are some limitations of this tests, which includes:
- Subjectivity: According to some studies, there is some subjectivity found in the results while assigning a category regarding the breast cancer diagnosis.
- False results: There is a possibility of getting false negative or false positives while performing the tests. It could cause unnecessary emotional distress or sometimes delays the treatments. However, this often happens in rare cases.
- Unspecific: While it mostly outlines how it categorizes the test results of diagnosis. It doesn't give any additional information about any types of suspicions.
Consult Today
BI-RADS plays a big role in breast cancer screening, providing the right score to empower people to make informed decisions regarding their breast cancer health. This test result shows that no abnormality should be ignored, and it ensures that women should receive the right care and attention at the right time. Learning more about BI-RADS bridges the gap between early detection and effective treatment to make the right decision about breast cancer health.
At Oncare, we offer premium quality cancer treatments including advanced cancer surgeries at affordable price packages with an experienced cancer specialist consultation.
If you or any loved ones of yours are diagnosed with cancer, then visit Oncare Cancer Center and book an appointment with our cancer specialists today. Get an estimated cost of your cancer treatments today!
Frequently Asked Questions
BI-RADS, commonly referred to as the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System, is generally used for breast cancer diagnosis. This is a standard system mostly used by radiologists to identify and interpret breast imaging reports, mainly from mammograms, ultrasounds, and MRIs.
There are some limitations of BI-RADS testing, including:
The chance of subjectivity and false reports are considered one of the shortcomings of these results. Additionally, the lack of specificity and some challenges in breast compositions are also considered as some of the limitations of these results.
Performing Breast Imaging Reporting Data System offers several advantages to the patients including:
- Standardized communication
- Improved communication and treatments options
- Risk assessment for breast cancer
- Guiding management
If you find out a BI-RADS 4 score in your reports such as from a mammography, it indicates a suspicious abnormality that requires further medication intervention and investigation, mostly with the help of a biopsy. Majority of the time, this category suggests a moderate to high chance of cancer presence in the breasts.