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SEER Inquiry System - Report
Produced: 07/18/2025 11:01 PM
Question 20010094
Inquiry Details
References:
SEER Program Code Man, 3rd Ed, 5
Question:
Reportability/Ambiguous Terminology--Breast: Should the American College of Radiology (ACR) BI-RADS assessment categories 4 [Suspicious Abnormality--biopsy should be considered] and 5 [Highly Suggestive of malignancy-appropriate action should be taken], impressions for mammograms and sonograms, be used as the sole basis for reportability? See discussion.
Discussion:
ACR website:
Category 4: Lesions that do not have the characteristic morphologies of breast cancer but have a definite probability of being malignant.
Category 5: lesions have a high probability of being cancer.
Answer:
Updated Answer
Please refer to Appendix E of the SEER Program Coding Manual for the most up-to-date information, https://seer.cancer.gov/manuals/2018/SPCSM_2018_AppendixE.pdf
History:
Previous Answer
No, do not use categories 4 or 5 as the sole basis of reportability. Report a case with a mammogram classified in category 4 or category 5 only if the diagnosis is confirmed by a physician (clinical diagnosis).
The terms "suspicious abnormality" and "highly suggestive of malignancy" are not on the SEER reportable list.
