Roberta Jong MD, FRCPC

Dr. Jong provided clinical input into the development of digital mammography. Her insight into the limitations of film-screen mammography and the requirements for digital mammography helped guide the design of this technology. She helped conceptualize advanced clinical applications such as contrast-enhanced digital mammography. She provided clinical leadership in Toronto for the Digital Mammography Imaging Screening Trial that was funded by the U.S. National Cancer Institute. This study provided data on the accuracy of digital versus film-screen mammography in detecting breast cancer in asymptomatic women, and resulted in increased use of digital mammography.

Dr. Jong was the principal investigator in Toronto for the American College of Radiology Imaging Network and Avon Foundation research protocol "Screening Breast Ultrasound in High-Risk Women." This protocol demonstrated the incremental benefit of bilateral whole breast screening ultrasound over mammography, and the additional cancer detection of a single magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination after three years of mammographic and ultrasound screening.

Dr. Jong was a collaborator in the Surveillance Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Ultrasound for Women at High Risk for Hereditary Breast Cancer protocol. Results from this study influenced the clinical transition to routine screening of these women with MRI. She provided clinical feedback on the interventional techniques developed here for biopsy of lesions seen only on MRI. Her current research involves a lead-in study for the Tomosynthesis Mammographic Screening Trial comparing tomosynthesis plus digital mammography versus digital mammography alone in routine screening.