BCRADS
BREAST CLINICAL REPORTING AND DATA SYSTEM
BCRADS is a clinician-led innovation developed by the Institute of Breast Disease, Kolkata. It standardises clinical breast assessment in low-resource, high-burden settings.
BCRADS is a structured scoring and reporting system. It is based on patient history and focused clinical examination. These inputs generate a clear clinical score that supports consistent risk assessment and clinical decision-making.
HOW DOES IT WORK
Clinical findings are assessed using defined parameters. These include age, family history, prior radiation, breast asymmetry, skin or nipple changes, lump characteristics, and nodal findings.
Each assessment produces a score mapped to a BCRADS category from 1 to 5. Every category is linked to a specific clinical action, ranging from routine follow-up to fast-track referral to a breast clinic.
BCRADS SCORING SYSTEM
| Category | Score | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0-2 | NORMAL |
| 2 | 3-4 | BENIGN |
| 3 | 5-6 | PROBABLY BENIGN |
| 4 | 7-9 | SUSPICIOUS |
| 5 | ≥10 | HIGHLY SUGGESTIVE OF MALIGNANCY |
GLOBAL RECOGNITION AND ADOPTION
BCRADS received the Vanessa Moss Award at the London Global Cancer Week 2025 in recognition of its clinical relevance and impact. The system has since been adopted across diverse healthcare settings including Nigeria, Peru, and other countries.
By bridging the gap between clinical examination and early diagnosis, BCRADS offers a scalable, globally relevant approach to improving breast cancer detection and outcomes across health systems.