July 22, 2005

MGH physician receives Gold Medal award

Daniel B. Kopans, MD, director of the MGH Breast Imaging Division in the Department of Radiology, recently received the Gold Medal award from the Society of Breast Imaging in recognition of his contributions to the field of breast imaging at the society's biennial meeting held recently in Vancouver.

Kopans was among the first to recognize the importance of combining multiple forms of medical imaging to detect and diagnose breast cancer earlier and helped develop the field of breast imaging. He shaped scientific arguments in support of mammography screenings for women in their 40s that now allow women to routinely be offered annual mammography screenings. He also created a reporting system at the MGH that is the basis for the nationally accepted American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System that has standardized breast imaging reporting. Kopans has been head of Breast Imaging at the MGH since 1978.