Christoph I. Lee, MD, MS, MBA
Christoph I. Lee, MD, MS, MBA
- Physician, Fred Hutch
- Professor, Department of Radiology, University of Washington School of Medicine
Radiology
“I chose to work with patients who have cancer so that I could be their advocate during one of the most trying and vulnerable periods in their lives.”
— Dr. Lee
What makes practicing radiology meaningful for you?
Imaging is central to breast cancer screening, and the technology is constantly evolving. For example, in the last 15 years we’ve gone from using screen film mammography to digital and now 3-D mammography — and there are even more changes coming down the pipeline that can lead to improved screening and early detection of breast cancer. It’s exciting to be part of a field that’s progressing so quickly. What I also enjoy about this specialty is that I can use medical imaging to advocate for individual patients as well as large groups of people. One of my research programs amasses breast imaging data and outcomes from diverse populations so that we can provide better evidence to policymakers who set cancer screening guidelines.
What personal experiences have informed your approach to care?
I brought my father-in-law all the way from Montana to get treated at Fred Hutch, and I’m grateful for the way his physicians cared for him. When you’re on the side of being the health advocate for your family member, you realize just how vulnerable people can feel during the diagnostic stage, when they’re waiting to find out whether they have cancer, how aggressive it is and how much disease is present. Having a caring, empathetic physician who understands the latest science and treatments but also takes the time to thoroughly answer questions is critical. I take pride in being a patient listener, fielding any concerns that come up and providing patients and families with concrete data they can use to make decisions.
Provider Background
Specialty: Radiology
Area of clinical practice
Breast imaging
Breast cancer
I am a board-certified radiologist who specializes in using medical imaging to screen for, detect and manage breast cancer. My research is focused on emerging breast cancer screening technologies, health policy and population health outcomes. I have authored or co-authored more than 150 peer-reviewed journal articles and chapters about a variety of topics within radiology.
I also serve as the director of the Northwest Screening and Cancer Outcomes Research Enterprise (NW-SCORE), a partnership between UW Medicine and community radiology and pathology practices. The goal of NW-SCORE is to compile breast imaging data into a resource that can influence breast cancer screening practices and policies.
Diseases Treated
Languages
English
Education, Experience and Certifications
Medical Degree
Yale School of Medicine
Residency
Stanford University Medical Center, Diagnostic Radiology
Fellowship
Iris Cantor-UCLA Women's Health Center, Breast Imaging
Board Certification
Diagnostic Radiology, 2010, American Board of Radiology
Other
Masters, UCLA
Your Care Team
At Fred Hutch, you receive care from a team of providers with extensive experience in your disease. Your team includes doctors, a patient care coordinator, a registered nurse, an advanced practice provider and others, based on your needs. You also have access to experts like nutritionists, social workers, acupuncturists, psychiatrists and more who specialize in supporting people with cancer or blood disorders.
Insurance
Fred Hutch accepts most national private health insurance plans as well as Medicare. We also accept Medicaid for people from Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. We are working to ensure that everyone, no matter what their financial situation, has access to the care they need.
For the Media
The Media Relations team at Fred Hutch is available to assist members of the news media who would like to arrange interviews with providers.
Email media@fredhutch.org or call 206.667.2210