Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women in developed countries.[1] It is estimated that about 12 percent of women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of their lifetime and more than 200,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in 2015.[2] It is important to know the risks and warning signs of breast cancer, and having the benefit of early detection is invaluable, but sometimes that’s easier said than done.

The landscape of the healthcare industry is poised for dramatic change in 2015 and the years ahead, and radiologists need to be ready to adapt if they’re going to thrive. This was the overarching message from the plenary session “Critical Issues Facing the Practice of Radiology in 2015 and Beyond” at RSNA 2014, presented by Bibb Allen, Jr., M.D., FACR; Geraldine McGinty, M.D., FACR; and James A. Brink, M.D., FACR, all members of the American College of Radiology (ACR) Board of Chancellors.

As radiation therapy becomes more sophisticated and new methods are devised for treating cancer, treatment planning systems have become an essential tool for physicians and physicists. While new features are being added to improve the functionality of various radiotherapy systems, the end goal is still the same — contouring the radiation beam to treat the cancerous tissue while minimizing exposure to any surrounding healthy tissue.

It’s funny how terms catch on. Sometimes it’s the result of an innovator’s brand. No one goes out to play flying disc — we play Frisbee. Sometimes it’s the result of simplification. Everyone in healthcare knows about PACS — even when many (if not most) don’t know what exactly PACS (picture archiving and communication system) means. Then there is that instance when a term is generally used but doesn’t necessarily fit — either by innovation or by general adoption.