Olena Weaver, M.D.
Department of Breast Imaging, Division of Diagnostic Imaging
About Dr. Olena Weaver
Dr. Olena O. Weaver, MD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Breast Imaging at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Weaver is a board-certified diagnostic radiologist with fellowship training in Breast and Women's Imaging. She has a background in general and breast surgery and has experience in both academic and community settings.
Dr. Weaver serves as the Breast Imaging Director of Contrast Enhanced Mammography and is overseeing the clinical and research program on contrast enhanced mammography (CEM) at MD Anderson. She is the principal investigator on several ongoing funded research protocols investigating various applications of CEM.
In collaboration with the Red and Charline McCombs Institute for the Early Detection and Treatment of Cancer, Dr. Weaver is conducting research on personalized breast cancer screening and risk assessment. She co-leads a large prospective research study of breast cancer screening patients called MERIT (Mammography, Early detection biomarkers, Risk assessment, and Imaging Technologies). The MERIT study is evaluating new technologies, including blood tests, various modern imaging techniques, and artificial intelligence, to improve early breast cancer detection for all women, while tailoring it to individual characteristics and risk factors.
Dr. Weaver works with collaborative multi-specialty teams of MD Anderson physicians to bring individualized imaging services to patients. She interprets all breast imaging modalities, including mammography, digital breast tomosynthesis, contrast enhanced mammography (CEM), ultrasound, MRI, and molecular breast imaging. Dr. Weaver is proficient in all interventional breast procedures. She was awarded a research grant for investigating CEM-guided biopsies, which allowed her to pioneer this technology at MD Anderson and to bring the first CEM-guided biopsy capability to Texas.
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Breast Imaging, Division of Diagnostic Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Dual/Joint/Adjunct Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Breast Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Research Interests
Combination of imaging and basic science for developing personalized approaches to breast cancer early detection and risk stratification.
Contrast enhanced mammography for improved accuracy of diagnosis in challenging clinical situations (such as abnormal nipple discharge, mammographic calcifications and architectural distortions, abnormalities in women with breast implants, etc.)
Contrast enhanced mammography for breast cancer screening in women with dense breasts and in women at high risk for breast cancer.
Using artificial intelligence for creating personalized risk stratification models which incorporate imaging findings and blood biomarkers.
Clinical Interests
Screening and diagnostic breast imaging, all modalities
Minimally invasive breast interventions
Multidisciplinary approach to breast cancer diagnosis and treatment
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 1999 | Bogomolets National Medical University, Kiev, UA, MD |
Postgraduate Training
| 2011-2012 | Clinical Fellowship, Breast and Women's Imaging, Magee-Women's Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| 2007-2011 | Clinical Residency, Radiology, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri |
| 2005-2006 | Clinical Residency, Preliminary Surgery, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri |
| 1999-2001 | Clinical Residency, General Surgery, Kiev Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Kiev |
Licenses & Certifications
| 2011 | American Board of Radiology |
Experience & Service
Faculty Academic Appointments
Assistant Professor, Department of Breast Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2019 - 2022
Assistant Professor, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2014 - 2019
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Director of Contrast Enhanced Mammography, Department of Breast Imaging, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2021 - Present
Director of Bone Densitometry, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center/Memorial Hermann Breast Screening Network, Houston, TX, 2016 - 2020
Physician Leader, DXA Program, Department of Diagnostic Radiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center/Memorial Hermann Breast Screening Network, Houston, TX, 2014 - 2016
Other Professional Positions
Consultant, GE Healthcare, Houston, 2021 - 2022
General and Breast Radiology, Sun City Imaging, Sun City, AZ, 2012 - 2014
Radiology Research Assistant, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Pediatric Radiology Department, St. Louis, MO, 2003 - 2005
Surgeon, Kiev Municipal Oncological Hospital, Kyiv, 2001 - 2001
Administrative Supervisor of Oncological Care, Zhovtnevy District Regional Medical Coalitions, Unknown, 2000 - 2001
Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Iodinated Contrast Subcommittee (CFC), 2023 - Present
Member, MDACC Scientific Review Committee (SRC), 2021 - Present
Member, Diagnostic Imaging Innovation Task Force, 2020 - Present
Member, Industry Strategic Partnerships, 2019 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2022 | Innovator Award, Breast Imaging Department |
| 2019 | Association of University Radiologists Academic Faculty Development Program, Diagnostic Radiology Nomination, Association of University Radiologists |
| 2018 | MD Anderson's Faculty Excellence Award in Prevention Outreach, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2011 | Heart of Leadership Faculty Development Program, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center |
| 2009 | RSNA Research Resident Grant, The Toshiba America Medical Systems |
Professional Memberships
Selected Presentations & Talks
Local Presentations
- 2018. Can the new "lateral arm" stereotactic biopsy approach. Conference. 2018 Cancer Imaging and Intervention Conference. Houston, TX, US.
National Presentations
- 2023. Contrast enhanced mammography: what it can and cannot do. Invited. ARRS Annual Meeting. Honolulu, HI, US.
- 2022. Contrast-enhanced mammography for the differentiation of benign and malignant lymph nodes in breast cancer staging. Conference. SBI-ACR Breast Imaging Symposium. Savannah, GA, US.
- 2020. Retrospective review of batch reading and interrupted interpretation of digital screening mammograms without and with tomosynthesis. Conference. 106th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL, US.
- 2019. Creating an integrated research platform on the basis of clinical PACS. Conference. 105th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL, US.
- 2017. Translation medicine for radiologists: a simple talk about complex matters. Conference. 2017 Society of Breast Imaging/American College of Radiology Symposium. Los Angeles, CA, US.
- 2013. Breast imaging: a quest for saving lives. Conference. GateWay Community College Ultrasound Lecture Series, US.
- 2011. Incidental diagnosis of breast cancer in FDG PET/CT: frequency in 1283 patients. Conference. Journal of Nuclear Medicine, US.
- 2001. Incidental breast lesion in FDG PET/CT: correlation with pathology and anatomical breast imaging. Conference. 87th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL, US.
International Presentations
- 2024. Challenging Cases: DBT. Invited. SBI Breast Imaging Symposium. Montreal, CA.
- 2022. Digital breast tomosynthesis combined with contrast-enhanced spectral mammography helps reveal anatomic causes of artifacts and benign enhancing findings on subtracted contrast images. Conference. European Congress of Radiology. Vienna, AT.
- 2019. Lateral arm stereotactic biopsy decreases the distance of clip migration. Conference. 2019 Society of Breast Imaging/American College of Radiology Symposium. Vienna, AT.
- 2018. Comparison of the rate of hematoma formation and the size of hematomas between lateral arm and conventional stereotactic biopsy techniques. Conference. European Society of Breast Imaging Annual Scientific Meeting 2018. Athens, GR.
- 2018. Launching a new era of breast cancer early detection. Conference. Annual Global Academic Programs (GAP) Conference 2018. Stockholm, SE.
- 2018. Multidisciplinary approach to the discovery of breast cancer early biomarkers: merit cohort. Conference. Annual Global Academic Programs (GAP) Conference 2018. Stockholm, SE.
- 2017. Evaluation of the "lateral arm" stereotactic biopsy approach and its impact on clip migration rate. Conference. European Society of Breast Imaging (EUSOBI) Annual Scientific Meeting. Berlin, DE.
- 2001. Comparative assessment of different methods of examination for diagnosis of palpable breast lumps. Conference. 10th International Conference of Oncologists. Yalta, UA.
Grant & Contract Support
| Date: | 2024 - 2026 |
| Title: | Automatic longitudinal mammography analysis in a large prospective breast cancer screening cohort |
| Funding Source: | The Fund for Innovation in Cancer Informatics |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| ID: | FP00022121 |
| Date: | 2023 - Present |
| Title: | Development of a processing pipeline for automated longitudinal mammography analysis in a large prospective breast cancer screening cohort |
| Funding Source: | JCCO |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| Date: | 2022 - Present |
| Title: | The C-MERIT screening cohort: Contrast-enhanced mammography for breast cancer screening and risk assessment in women with dense breasts |
| Funding Source: | The Little Green Book Foundation and The Morton Chair Fund |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 2022-0651 |
| Date: | 2022 - Present |
| Title: | Retrospective analyses for the center for global cancer early detection to improve risk assessment and early detection of cancer |
| Funding Source: | |
| Role: | Co-PI |
| ID: | 2022-0900 |
| Date: | 2020 - Present |
| Title: | Pathologic nipple discharge may require more extensive imaging work-up than other breast complaints |
| Funding Source: | |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 2020-0906 |
| Date: | 2020 - Present |
| Title: | Deep machine learning for differentiation of benign and malignant round and oval masses on mammography: a pilot algorithm validation phase |
| Funding Source: | |
| Role: | PI |
| ID: | 2019-0926 |
| Date: | 2018 - 2021 |
| Title: | Molecular characterization of interval breast cancers |
| Funding Source: | Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation |
| Role: | Collaborator |
| ID: | PA15-1092 |
| Title: | Contrast enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) and CESM-guided biopsies for early breast cancer detection at MDACC: a pilot phase |
| Funding Source: | GEIK Work Statement #32, Multi-Investigator Imaging (MI2) Award |
| Role: | Collaborator |
| Title: | Early detection of breast cancer in a mammography screening cohort |
| Funding Source: | Funded by Robert Duncan and The Brown Foundation |
| Role: | Co-PI |
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Weaver OO, Contreras A, Cohen EO, Guirguis MS, Kapoor MM, Scoggins ME, Hwang RF, Candelaria RP, Yang WT, Dennison JB, Sun J, Whitman GJ. Assessment of Pectoralis muscle invasion using combined DBT and contrast-enhanced mammography: Retrospective multi-reader study. Curr Probl Diagn Radiol, 2025. e-Pub 2025. PMID: 40288929.
- Cohen EO, Weaver O, Korhonen KE, Sun J, Leung JWT. Retrospective comparison of the lateral-arm and vertical needle approaches for prone tomosynthesis-guided breast biopsy. Can Assoc Radiol J 4(4):755-757, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 36947722.
- Weaver OO, Yang WT, Scoggins ME, Adrada BE, Arribas E, Moseley T, Esquivel J, Melgar Y, Kornecki A. Challenging Contrast-Enhanced Mammography-Guided Biopsies: Practical Approach Using Real-Time Multimodality Imaging and a Proposed Procedural Algorithm. AJR Am J Roentgenol 220(4):512-523, 2023. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36321982.
- Rigaud B, Weaver OO, Dennison JB, Awais M, Anderson BM, Chiang TD, Yang WT, Leung JWT, Hanash SM, Brock KK. Deep learning models for automated assessment of breast density using multiple mammographic image types. Cancers (Basel) 14(20), 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36291787.
- 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.
- Shu H, Chiang T, Wei P, Do KA, Lesslie MD, Cohen EO, Srinivasan A, Moseley TW, Chang Sen LQ, Leung JWT, Dennison JB, Hanash SM, Weaver O. A deep learning approach to re-create raw full-field digital mammograms for breast density and texture analysis. Radiol Artif Intell 3(4):e200097, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34350403.
- 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.
- Cohen EO, Weaver O, Tso HH, Gerlach KE, Leung JWT. Breast cancer screening via digital mammography, synthetic mammography, and tomosynthesis. Am J Prev Med 58(3):470-472, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31732323.
- Shin K, Weaver O, Wei W, Caudle AS, Kuerer HM, Yang WT. Sonographic features of benign and malignant axillary nodes post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Breast J 26(2):182-187, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 31448480.
Invited Articles
- Weaver OO. Moving Forward With Contrast-Enhanced Mammography. ARRS in Practice, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
- Weaver O, Yang WT. Imaging of breast cancers with predilection for non-mass pattern of growth: invasive lobular carcinoma and DCIS-does imaging capture it all?. Am J Roentgenol 215(6):1504-1511, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 33021831.
Review Articles
- Lane DL, Neelapu SS, Xu G, Weaver O. COVID-19 vaccine-related axillary and cervical lymphadenopathy in patients with current or prior breast cancer and other malignancies: cross-sectional imaging findings on MRI, CT, and PET-CT. Korean J Radiol 22(12):1938-1945, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 34719892.
- Weaver O, Yang W. Imaging of breast cancers with predilection for non-mass pattern of growth: invasive lobular carcinoma and DCIS-does imaging capture it all?. Am J Roentgenol 215(6):1504-1511, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 33021831.
Professional Educational Materials
- Weaver O, Kornecki A, Phillips J, Berg W. Contrast-Enhanced Mammography Reader Training, 2022.
Editorials
- Weaver OO, Kornecki A, Yang WT. Reply to: "expanding biopsy options for suspicious breast lesions: CT-guided biopsy using a 3D-printed device". AJR Am J Roentgenol 221(3):402, 2023. PMID: 37406201.
Abstracts
- Dennison, JB, Leung, J, Hanash, SM, Weaver, OO. The MERIT cohort: an MD Anderson initiative to integrate blood and imaging biomarkers to personalize breast cancer risk. San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, 2022. e-Pub 2022.
- Weaver O, Scoggins ME, Adrada BE, Arribas E, Yang WT. Digital breast tomosynthesis combined with contrast-enhanced spectral mammography helps reveal anatomic causes of artifacts and benign enhancing findings on subtracted contrast images. European Congress of Radiology (ECR), 2022. e-Pub 2022.
- Weaver O, Arribas E, Adrada B, Moseley TW, Scoggins ME. The feasibility of a new built-in specimen radiography solution for the optimization of stereotactic breast biopsy workflow. 107th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America Annual Meeting Program, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
- Weaver O, Cohen E, Perry R, Tso HH, Phalak K, Srinivasan A, Bassett R, Leung WT. Does lateral arm technique decrease the rate of clip migration in stereotactic and tomosynthesis-guided biopsies?. 107th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America Annual Meeting Program, 2021. e-Pub 2021.
- Tso HH, Cohen E, Lesslie M, Weaver O, Phalak K, Leung J. Retrospective review of batch reading and interrupted interpretation of digital screening mammograms without and with tomosynthesis. 106th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America Annual Meeting Program, 2020. e-Pub 2020.
- Chiang T, Salama MA, Yang WT, Weaver O. Creating an integrated research platform on the basis of clinical PACS. 105th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America Annual Meeting Program, 2019. e-Pub 2019.
- Weaver O, Cohen E, Perry R, Tso H, Phalak K, Srinivasan A, Wei W, Leung J. Lateral arm stereotactic biopsy decreases the distance of clip migration. 2019 Society of Breast Imaging/American College of Radiology Symposium, 2019. e-Pub 2019.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified May 07, 2025