The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Breast Imaging

“Starting in Wuhan, China, followed quickly in the United States in January 2020, an outbreak of a novel coronavirus, or COVID-19, escalated to a global pandemic by March. Significant disruptions occurred to breast imaging, including deferred screening mammography, triaging diagnostic breast imaging, and changes in breast cancer care algorithms. This article summarizes the effect of the global pandemic—and efforts to curtail its spread—on both breast cancer care and on breast imaging practices including effects on patients, clinical workflow, education, and research.”