Reactive axillary lymph nodes seen on screening mammograms after vaccination can last for many months and should not be cause for imaging delays, experts reported in Radiology.

“Radiologists have an opportunity to situate themselves at the center of patient care, but it will require transforming the operational framework and rebranding ourselves," experts suggested in a new editorial.

The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging offered up a handful of tips to help providers who encounter such findings.

Scans using a smaller dose were accurate when detecting lesions 0.5 cm or larger but more research into low-contrast lesions is still necessary, experts cautioned.

"Regardless of design, developing a critical mass of institutions with this type of infrastructure will be needed for the field of radiology to improve health equity," experts wrote in JACR.

While the results offer indirect evidence, UCLA researchers said they support the clinical use of this technique for initial patient assessment.

The new safety screening protocol should "markedly improve" current delays in screening patients, Mayo Clinic doctors explained.

“This is a moment for us to further our efforts in saving lives and saving limbs,” one Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center expert said recently.