What breast radiologists have learned from the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

: The impact of COVID-19 on the world of breast cancer care has been unprecedented, with worrisome short- and long-term consequences, and there remains a long road ahead to recover and unbury the breast imaging departments from their current backlog. Radiologists have to consider what the new normal will be going forward. At present time, because of widescale COVID-19 vaccination, benign vaccine-related reactive lymphadenopathy is likely to be encountered in oncologic patients and we need data-driven guidelines to manage unilateral lymphadenopathy and avoid unnecessary biopsies. In the next years, some procedures like wearing masks and maintaining social distancing will probably remain in use, as radiologists show patients that they are concerned about patient safety. Accordingly, odds are it will incorporate novel protocols for patient safety, innovative technologies (such as telemedicine and Artificial Intelligence algorithms), and changes in radiology workflow to create an environment that feels safe to both patients and radiologists, preventing backlogs (preventive service must not to be declined anymore) and burnouts (we need to take medical staff’s mental health seriously). However, there is hope on the horizon with new lessons learned from this pandemic that can help clear the backlog and improve the working in breast imaging departments to achieve what is most important: saving lives in the fight against breast cancer.