Consultations (Second opinion on outside studies)

When a patient has a breast examination in which an apparent abnormality is seen, she or her doctor may request a consultation on and re-evaluation of the study by a breast imaging expert. The radiologists of Garden State Women’s Imaging have performed thousands of these “second opinions”. Research has shown that review of questionable studies by a subspecialist frequently results in a change in recommendations, leading to improved patient outcomes. In many cases, minimally invasive, less traumatic and more cost-effective biopsies can be performed in place of surgical procedures; some patients for whom surgery is advised may require nothing more than surveillance. For patients who are found to have conditions requiring surgical treatment, a careful and complete pre-operative assessment and testing can result in streamlined treatment and improved outcomes.