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     Breast MRI

Screening Breast MRI is a cancer screening test which has recently been recognized as an important addition to mammography in the early detection of breast cancer. The American Cancer Society has recently recommended that an annual breast MRI is useful (in addition to an annual mammogram) for the early detection of breast cancer in women with the following situations:

1) Women who have a strong family history of breast cancer with breast       cancer in a first degree relative (sister, mother, daughter)
2) Women who carry the breast cancer genes BRAC1 and BRCA2
2) Women with several rare genetic diseases (please see ACS link)
3) Women previously treated for lymphoma using radiation therapy.
4) Women who have a 20% or more lifetime risk of breast cancer.

     Annual screening breast MRI may be useful in the early detection of breast cancer in women with the following:

Mammographically dense breasts
Women with a personal history of breast cancer
Women with a previous breast biopsy identifying a pre-cancerous condition.
a) atypical ductal hyperplasia
b) lobular carcinoma in situ
c) atypical lobular hyperplasia
d) ductal carcinoma in situ


     Diagnostic Breast MRI is useful for evaluation of women with known breast disease or with breast implants.

Breast MRI is also often useful in the following situations:

Evaluation of the other breast in women with a first time breast cancer diagnosis
Evaluation of breast discharge – especially bloody breast discharge
Evaluation of a palpable breast lump.
Evaluation of mammogram findings which require biopsy. Is the biopsy necessary?
Evaluation of the extent of breast cancer both before and after surgical and chemotherapy treatment.

American Cancer Society breast MRI recommendations link