Hedvig Hricak, MD, PhD

2007-2008 BCRF Project:
Made possible by generous support from The Estée Lauder Field

The breast cancer incidence in South East Europe (SEE) is the third highest in the world, after North America and Western Europe. The Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) lexicon of the American College of Radiology provides a standardized language for the interpretation of breast imaging studies, including mammography, ultrasound and MRI.

The goal of Dr. Hricak's project is to disseminate knowledge of BI-RADS and facilitate the creation of databases for longitudinal studies relating breast imaging findings with pathologic outcomes in SEE countries, starting with Croatia. To achieve this goal, she and her colleagues are giving intensive individualized instruction in the BI-RADS lexicon and in clinical research methodology to selected Croatian radiologists who come to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) through the BCRF program. To date, five Croatian radiologists have completed training at MSKCC.

As a result of the Hricak team's continuous efforts and participation with the BCRF program, Croatia began breast cancer screening in October 2006. In addition to furthering their work with Croatian radiologists, with the support of BCRF the researchers at MSKCC have expanded their program to include radiologists from other Eastern European countries, including Romania and Russia.

Mid-Year Progress Report:
To achieve their goal of disseminating knowledge of BI-RADS and facilitating the creation of databases for longitudinal studies relating breast imaging findings with pathologic outcomes in South East Europe (SEE) countries, Dr. Hricak and colleagues are giving intensive individualized instruction in the BI-RADS lexicon and in clinical research methodology to selected South East European radiologists who come to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) through the BCRF program. As a result of their continuous efforts and participation with the BCRF program, Croatia began breast cancer screening in October 2006. Dr. Hricak has now expanded the program to other SEE countries, including Russia.

Bio:
Hedvig Hricak is Chairman of the Department of Radiology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. She holds a senior position within the Program of Molecular and Pharmacology Therapeutics at the Sloan-Kettering Institute and is Professor of Radiology at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. She earned her MD degree from the University of Zagreb and her Dr. Med. Sc. from the Karolinska Institute. She was a professor of radiology, radiation oncology, urology and gynecology at the University of California at San Francisco and was the chief of the abdominal section of the Department of Radiology at the UCSF Medical Center.

Dr. Hricak served as President of the Society for Advancement of Women's Imaging (1997-1999), President of the California Academy of Medicine (1999), and President of the Society of Uroradiology (2000-2003). She was a member of the board of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine and now serves on the Executive board of the Academy of Radiology Research, the RSNA Board of Directors, and the National Cancer Institute's Board of Scientific Advisors. She is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies and is Executive Board Member and President of the New York Roentgen Ray Society (2004-2005). She is a fellow of the American College of Radiology, the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, and the Society of Uroradiology.

Dr. Hricak has authored or co-authored 21 books, 275 peer-reviewed papers, 139 review/ editorial papers, and more than 135 book chapters. She has given 19 named lectures and has been a visiting professor at more than 30 institutions worldwide. In recognition of her career accomplishments, she has received the Marie Curie Award from the Society of Women in Radiology (2002), the gold medal of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (2003), and the gold medal of the Association of University Radiologists (2007). She was named Honorary Professor, University of Zagreb, Croatia (1997) and is an honorary member of the British Institute of Radiology (2004), the Croatian Academy of Science and Art (2004), the German Radiological Society (2005), and the Austrian Roentgen Society (2006). In addition, she holds an honorary doctorate from the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (2005).