Interventional procedures of the breast: medicolegal considerations

Interventional procedures of the breast are increasing in frequency both because of screening programs designed to detect large numbers of nonpalpable lesions and the advent of new technologies. These procedures afford the radiologist new opportunities to participate in patient care. Those radiologists involved in interventional programs need to be familiar with the legal ramifications of such procedures, many of which have not been historically important outside of the treating clinical community. The high frequency of legal exposure associated with breast cancer evaluation should prompt the development of risk management guidelines for the performance of interventional procedures of the breast.