Dr. Patterson has been a dedicated clinician and educator of diagnostic radiology and specifically, in the specialty of Breast Imaging, for over 25 years. She has been particularly interested in decreasing the disparities found in breast cancer in African American women and other underserved communities. She is active in clinical research both as a primary investigator for breast biopsy research and others, as well as a reader for newer technologies such as digital breast tomosynthesis and automated breast ultrasound. She is the primary investigator for the University of Michigan for the international Tomosynthesis Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial (TMIST).

Clinical research in breast cancer screening with emerging modalities
Breast cancer in African-American women