Meet Kanchan Phalak, M.D.
Kanchan A Phalak, M.D.
Department of Breast Imaging, Division of Diagnostic Imaging
About Dr. Phalak
Dr. Kanchan A. Phalak is an associate professor in the Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Breast Imaging division. She completed medical school at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas in 2009. After medical school, she completed a residency in Diagnostic Radiology and fellowships in Breast Imaging at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas
Dr. Phalak joined MD Anderson in 2015 as part of MD Anderson Breast care partnership. Her research interests include MRI and high risk screening. She is dedicated to early cancer detection and screening and bringing the MD Anderson mission to the Houston community.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX
Associate Professor, Department of Breast Imaging, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2009 | Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, US, Doctor of Medicine |
| 2003 | University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, US, Electrical Engineering, Bachelor of Science |
Postgraduate Training
| 2020-2021 | Physician Leadership Training, MDACC Leadership Institute (LEADing Others): Holding Difficult Conversations, Houston, Texas |
| 2020-2020 | Virtual Peer Learning Summit, American College of Radiology, Boston, Massachusetts |
| 2018-2019 | Physician Leadership Training, Texas Medical Association Leadership College, Houston, Texas |
| 2017-2018 | Physician Leadership Training, Heart of Leadership Academy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas |
| 2014-2015 | Clinical Fellowship, Breast Imaging, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas |
| 2010-2014 | Clinical Residency, Diagnostic Radiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas |
| 2009-2010 | Transitional Internship, University of Texas Health Sciences Center, Houston, Texas |
Board Certifications
| 2015 | International Society of Clinical Densitometry |
| 2015 | American Board of Radiology |
Experience & Service
Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Department of Breast Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2015 - 2021
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Patient Safety and Quality Officer, Department of Breast Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2019 - 2022
Northern Corridor Regional Director, Department of Breast Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2017 - 2020
Lead Interpreting Physician, Memorial Hermann Cypress, Department of Breast Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2016 - 2017
Lead Interpreting Physician, Memorial Hermann Cy-Fair, Department of Breast Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, 2015 - 2020
Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Breast Imaging Scheduling Committee, 2023 - Present
Member, Breast Imaging Policy Review Committee, 2021 - 2023
Member, Diagnostic Imaging Safety, Quality & Value Functional Committee, 2020 - 2022
Member, Breast Imaging Research Committee, 2020 - Present
Member, Clinical Effort Standardization (CES) Faculty Work Group, 2018 - 2019
Noninvasive Breast Cancer Algorithm Project, MDA Qualified Provider-Led Entity (QPLE) Certification committee, 2017 - 2018
Honors & Awards
| 2024 | Awesome Job Award - Stewardship, MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2023 | Texas Super Doctors Rising Stars, Texas Monthly |
| 2022 | Texas Super Doctors Rising Stars, Texas Monthly |
| 2021 | Top Doctors in Texas Rising Stars, Texas Monthly |
| 2021 | Safety Hero, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Division of Diagnostic Imaging |
| 2020 | President’s Recognition of Faculty Excellence for Clinical Quality Improvement, MD Anderson |
| 2019 | Certificate of Reviewing Excellence, Clinical Imaging Journal |
| 2018 - 2019 | Texas Medical Association Leadership College Award, Texas Radiological Society Foundation |
| 2014 | Cum Laude Award, Radiological Society of North America |
| 2012 | Department of Radiology Resident Teaching Award, Baylor College of Medicine |
| 2012 | Best Case Award, American Institute for Radiologic Pathology |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Cohen, EO, Perry, RE, Legha, RS, Tso, H, Shin, K, Speer, M, Phalak, K, Sun, J, Leung, J. Suspicious Ultrasound-Occult Non-Calcified Mammographic Masses, Asymmetries, and Architectural Distortions Are Moderate Probability for Malignancy. Cancers 16(3), 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 38339406.
- Omofoye, TS, Leong, LH, Kalambo, M, Teo, SY, Lim, WH, Chew, DY, Lee, SS, Lane, DL, Kapoor, MM, Martaindale, S, Teichgraeber, DC, Moseley, T, Phalak, K, Srinivasan, A, Sun, J, Whitman, GJ, Leung, J, Tan, BS, Yang, WT. Responsive Web-based Breast Imaging Core Curriculum for International Radiology Residents with Self-Assessment. Academic radiology 29(6):919-927, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 34389260.
- Phalak K, Gerlach K, Parikh JR. Peer learning in breast imaging. Clinical Imaging 85:60-63, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35247790.
- Cohen EO, Perry RE, Tso HH, Phalak K, Lesslie MD, Gerlach KE, Sun J, Srinivasan A, Leung JWT. Breast cancer screening in women with and without implants: retrospective study comparing digital mammography to digital mammography combined with digital breast tomosynthesis. Eur Radiol 31(12):9499-9510, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34014380.
- Weaver O, Cohen EO, Perry RE, Tso HH, Phalak K, Srinivasan A, Bassett R, Leung JWT. Does lateral arm technique decrease the rate of clip migration in stereotactic and tomosynthesis-guided biopsies?. Insights Imaging 12(1):193, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34931266.
- Omofoye TS, Leong L, Kalambo M, Teo SY, Lim W, Chew D, Lee S, Lane D, Kapoor MM, Martaindale S, Teichgraeber D, Moseley T, Phalak K, Srinivasan A, Sun J, Whitman G, Leung J, Tan BS, Yang WT. Responsive web-based breast imaging core curriculum for international radiology residents with self-assessment: a pilot. Academic Radiology, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
- Cohen EO, Lesslie M, Weaver O, Phalak K, Tso H, Perry R, Leung JWT. Batch reading and interrupted interpretation of digital screening mammograms without and with tomosynthesis. J Am Coll Radiol 18(2):280-293, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 32861601.
- Phalak K, Gerlach K, Parikh JR. Community outreach and integration of breast radiologists. Clinical Imaging 66:143-146, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32492625.
- Gerlach KE, Phalak K, Gupta M, Leung JWT. COVID-19: Current and future crisis planning in breast imaging. The Breast Journal 26(8):1615-1617, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32683734.
- Gerlach KE, Phalak K, Parikh JR. Enhancing quality using the inspection program (EQUIP): a primer for radiologists. Journal of Breast Imaging 2(3):264-268, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
Manuals, Teaching Aids, Other Teaching Publications
- Phalak K, Gerlach K. Combatting Microaggressions in the Workplace Video Blog. RSNA News, 2022.
- Phalak K, Gerlach K. Combatting Microaggressions in the Workplace. Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) News, 2022.
Other Articles
- Gerlach KE, Phalak K, Parikh JR The disruptive radiologist. Clinical Imaging 87:5-10, 2022. PMID: 35447372.
- Gerlach KE, Phalak K, Parikh JR Optimizing patient experience scores in outpatient breast centers. Clinical Imaging 60(1):141-145, 2020. PMID: 31884122.
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2022. Breast Cancer: Reduce Your Risk. Conference. Breast Cancer: Reduce Your Risk. Houston, TX, US.
- 2022. Breast Cancer: Reduce Your Risk. Conference. Breast Cancer: Reduce Your Risk. Houston, TX, US.
- 2021. Breast Cancer: Reduce Your Risk. Conference. Breast Cancer: Reduce Your Risk. Houston, TX, US.
- 2018. Breast Cancer: Reduce Your Risk. Conference. Breast Cancer: Reduce Your Risk. Cypress, TX, US.
- 2018. Breast Cancer: Reduce Your Risk. Conference. Breast Cancer: Reduce Your Risk. Cypress, TX, US.
- 2018. Breast Health. Conference. Breast Health. Shenandoah, TX, US.
- 2017. Breast Cancer Awareness. Conference. Breast Cancer Awareness. Cypress, TX, US.
- 2017. Breast Cancer Awareness. Conference. Breast Cancer Awareness. Houston, TX, US.
- 2017. Breast Health. Conference. Breast Health. Shenandoah, TX, US.
- 2016. Breast Cancer Awareness. Conference. Breast Cancer Awareness. Houston, TX, US.
Regional Presentations
- 2019. Breast Cancer: Reduce Your Risk. Conference. Breast Cancer: Reduce Your Risk. Bayside, TX, US.
- 2019. Mammographic Calcification: A Practical Approach. Conference. Mammographic Calcification: A Practical Approach. Austin, TX, US.
National Presentations
- 2025. Extent of Disease Breast MRI Auditing and Outcomes Monitoring: A New Addition to the Sixth Edition of the BI-RADS Atlas. Conference. Colorado Springs, Colorado, US.
- 2025. Understanding MQSA and EQUIP. Invited, US.
- 2022. Breast Implant Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL): A Multimodality Imaging Review. Conference. Chicago, IL, US.
- 2022. I Am Not A Robot: Quality and Safety for Breast Imagers. Visiting, US.
- 2021. Does Lateral Arm Technique Decrease The Rate Of Clip Migration In Stereotactic And Tomosynthesis-guided Biopsies?. Conference. Chicago, IL, US.
- 2020. Retrospective review of batch reading and interrupted interpretation of digital screening mammograms without and with tomosynthesis. Conference. Chicago, IL, US.
- 2020. Full Field Synthetic Mammography: Outcomes as Assessed by Stereotactic Biopsy Results. Conference. Chicago, IL, US.
- 2019. Lateral arm stereotactic biopsy decreases the distance of clip migration. Conference. Hollywood, FL, US.
- 2018. Does Tomosynthesis Work for Everyone?. Conference. Chicago, IL, US.
- 2018. Comparison of community based 2D vs 3D screening performance to other national published data. Conference. Houston, TX, US.
- 2018. Screening Mammography Findings from One Standard Projection Only in Era of Full Field Digital Mammography and Tomosynthesis. Conference. Houston, TX, US.
- 2018. Can The New "Lateral Arm" Stereotactic Biopsy Approach Decrease Clip Migration Rate?. Conference. Houston, TX, US.
- 2017. Screening Mammography Findings from One Standard Projection Only in Era of Full Field Digital Mammography and Tomosynthesis. Conference. Chicago, IL, US.
- 2014. CME Presentation: Interpretation of Breast MRI Utilizing the BI-RADS 5th Edition Lexicon: How are we doing and where are we headed?. Conference. Chicago, IL, US.
- 2013. Supplemental Ultrasound Screening in Patients with a History of Lobular Neoplasia. Conference. Chicago, IL, US.
- 2007. Rituximab Responsive Refractory Acute Graft Versus Host Disease. Conference. Keystone, CO, US.
International Presentations
- 2024. Standardized Diagnostic Imaging Protocols/Workup of Abnormal Findings. Invited. Regional Caribbean Training Course on Breast Imaging, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)-Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), City Cancer Challenge, US.
- 2022. Basics of Mammography: Interpretation and Problem-Solving Techniques. Invited, US.
- 2022. Introduction to BI-RADS for Mammography. Invited, US.
- 2018. Comparison of the rate of hematoma formation and the size of hematomas between lateral arm and conventional stereotactic biopsy techniques. Conference. Comparison of the rate of hematoma formation and the size of hematomas between lateral arm and conventional stereotactic biopsy techniques. Athens, GR.
- 2017. Comparison of the in-plane (Lateral Arm) stereotactic biopsy approach and the conventional orthogonal approach, utilizing a prone 2D/3D biopsy system, with a focus on clip migration rate. Conference. Comparison of the in-plane (Lateral Arm) stereotactic biopsy approach and the conventional orthogonal approach, utilizing a prone 2D/3D biopsy system, with a focus on clip migration rate. Berlin, DE.
Formal Peers
- 2022. High Reliability Organization Universal Skills. Houston, Texas, US.
- 2018. Breast MRI Biopsy Workshop Facilitator. Invited. Houston, Texas, US.
Grant & Contract Support
| Title: | 3D Printed Breast Models in the Surgical Management of Breast Cancer |
| Funding Source: | University Cancer Foundation via The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Institutional Research Grant Program |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| ID: | 2021-1201 |
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified May 30, 2025