Overview
I have had the privilege of working as an academic radiologist at Duke for almost 30 years. My clinical work focuses on the imaging evaluation of breast abnormalities to detect early forms of breast cancer, and I am particularly interested in supporting patients during these sometimes stressful examinations. Initially, my research evaluated the added benefits of breast ultrasound, MRI, and other imaging tests to identify breast abnormalities, including the study of breast implant integrity. However, in the past decade, I have focused my research on the imaging-guided breast biopsy process, evaluating ways to optimize women’s experiences as they go through these procedures. Related topics include evaluating patients’ perceptions of breast cancer risk and the biopsy process, the importance of radiologist-patient communication, the spiritual needs of women undergoing biopsy, and use of loving-kindness meditation and other methods to reduce anxiety and discomfort during biopsies.