Radiology-Pathology Concordance Conference: Utility and Success in Clinical Practice.

Abstract

The practice of formally documenting radiologic and pathologic concordance after percutaneous breast biopsies was instituted more than 20 years ago. There are several ways in which this can be done, but in many practices the performing radiologist independently compares the imaging findings with the pathology report to determine concordance. However, some studies show that a multidisciplinary review of breast biopsy results can maximize cancer detection, identify discordant cases in a timely manner, decrease imaging follow-up, and avoid unnecessary surgical intervention. This article will propose a practical method to establish a formal radiology-pathology conference in which percutaneous breast biopsies are reviewed with multidisciplinary input to increase efficiency and improve patient care. With the wide implementation of digital radiologic imaging and digital pathology evaluation plus the recent adoption of virtual meeting platforms, a successful radiology-pathology conference can be implemented in nearly any practice setting. Case examples will be presented demonstrating the utility of such a conference.