BIRADS, or Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System, is a widely accepted risk assessment and quality assurance tool in mammography, ultrasound or MRI. The system was developed to standardize reporting, and make reports more comprehensible to the non-radiologist reading the report.

The result of your breast MRI will fall into one of the following categories:

BIRADS 0 – Incomplete: Further imaging or information is required i.e. special mammographic views (compression, magnification), ultrasound. This is also used when requesting previous images not available at the time of reading.

BIRADS I – Negative: Symmetrical and no masses, architectural disturbances or suspicious enhancement present.

BIRADS II – Benign Findings: Interpreter may wish to describe a benign-appearing finding. These all should have characteristic appearances, and may be labeled with confidence; the interpreter might wish to describe intra-mammary lymph nodes, implants, etc. while still concluding that there is no evidence suggesting malignancy.

BIRADS III – Probably Benign: Short interval (6 months) follow-up suggested. The accent is on the word benign.

BIRADS IV – Suspicious Abnormality:

• There is a mammographic appearance which is suspicious for malignancy
• Biopsy should be considered for such a lesion.

BIRADS V – An imaging appearance which is highly suggestive of malignancy: action should be taken.