Breast MRI

Breast cancer is the most common cancer of American women and the second most common cause of cancer deaths. Extensive breast screening programs are currently effective worldwide. Mammography has proven extremely effective in the early detection of breast cancer and remains the primary imaging modality for breast cancer screening.

Mammography, however, suffers with limitations in its ability to detect cancer with a reported sensitivity estimated at 70-80%. This limitation is often due to the obscuration of the tumor by superimposed tissue. Limitations in sensitivity have encouraged the creation of alternative imaging modalities, such as breast MRI, to supplement mammography. A breast MRI may be recommended for further evaluation of masses first found on a mammogram or ultrasound. Imaging the breast using our 1.5 Tesla Open Bore MRIs is extremely safe and uses magnetic fields, not radiation, to image inside the body.

Benefits of Breast MRI

• Detailed analysis of suspicious lesions found on a mammogram or ultrasound
• Can spot or characterize small abnormalities missed by mammography
• Evaluating a palpable mass not visible on ultrasound or mammography
• Used effectively in dense glandular breasts of young women
• Can image breast implants and ruptures
• Can evaluate inverted nipples for evidence of cancer
• Helps to determine what type of surgery is needed (lumpectomy or mastectomy)
• May detect breast cancer recurrences and residual tumors after lumpectomy
• Can locate primary tumor in women whose cancer has spread to axillary (armpit) lymph nodes
• Screening women at high risk of breast cancer due to an abnormal gene or a family history, according to recent studies