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Breast MRI Useful When There Are Discrepancies Between Mammogram and Ultrasound: Presented at ASBD

By Linda Little

LAS VEGAS, NV -- April 19, 2005 -- Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is emerging as a valuable tool in addition to clinical breast examination, mammography and ultrasound in the evaluation of women with breast disease.

"Breast MRI can play an important role in the diagnostic evaluation of patients with breast diseases," said Dr. Lisa M. Guirguis, surgical oncology fellow, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California, United States. "It may be particularly useful in ruling out occult breast pathology, and potentially saving patients from unnecessary invasive procedures."

Dr. Guirguis presented the findings in a poster session here on April 16^th at the American Society of Breast Diseases here.

In their retrospective study, Dr. Guirguis and colleagues evaluated the medical records of 154 women that provided clinical, radiographic, and pathologic data. The women had been treated at the City of Hope National Medical Center for a 2-year period ending in April 2004.

In 74.0% of cases, nondiagnostic screening studies requiring further evaluation by MRI, while the remaining 26.0% studies were performed for patients with clinical findings with normal imaging studies.

The analysis found that MRI affected the clinical management of these patients and aided women in avoiding further invasive procedures, such as breast biopsy.

The addition of MRI affected the clinical management in more than 68% of 114 women whose breast disease required further evaluation. MRI did not demonstrate a corresponding lesion in 41% of these patients.

MRI also was able to resolve the diagnostic problem in 80% of the 40 patients who either had breast symptoms or clinical findings on previous imaging studies. Of these, 65% had negative MRIs and were able to avoid additional evaluations.

MRI was especially useful when there were discrepancies between the mammogram and ultrasound, she said. "It can clear up clinical questions. More times than not, MRI can help patients avoid further invasive procedures."


[Presentation title: Clinical Utility of Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Breast as a Diagnostic Tool in the Evaluation of Patients with Breast Disease. Poster 4]

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