"A significant part of burnout stems from the overwhelming administrative burden," explains Elizabeth Ann Ignacio, MD, FSIR, FACR, chair of the SIR Small and Rural Practices Committee.

Dana Smetherman, MD, is a diagnostic radiologist who specializes in breast imaging. She spoke to Health Imaging about some key issues that have her attention in 2024 and beyond. 

Relative to other hospitals, those serving racial and ethnic minorities had significantly lower odds of offering 7 of 12 diagnostic radiology exams, new research shows.

There is 1 radiologist for every 5,861 residents in the wealthiest counties versus 1 for every 7,861 in the poorest, researchers wrote in Cureus.

“Better beans and bacon in peace than cakes and ale in fear.”

Gwendolyn Bryant-Smith, MD, division chief of breast imaging and associate director for diversity, equity and inclusion at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, University of Arkansas, discussed how her center addressed health inequities in mammography.

Why are patients paying far less out of their pockets for mammography now than two decades ago—while shelling out a lot more for other common imaging exams?

While Black women have lower incidence of breast cancer diagnosis, their mortality rates are 40% higher than those observed in white women.