(MR mammography)
Magnetic resonance imaging of the breast is particularly useful in evaluation of newly diagnosed breast cancer, in women whose breast tissue is mammographically very dense and for screening in women with a high lifetime risk of breast cancer because of their family history or genetic disposition.
Breast
MRI can be performed on all standard whole body magnets at a
field strength of 0.5 T - 1.5
Tesla. Powerful
gradient strengths over 15 mT/m will help to improve the balance between
spatial resolution, scanning speed, and volume coverage. The use of a dedicated bilateral breast
coil is obligatory.
Malignant lesions release angiogenic factors that increase local vessel density and vessel
permeability. Breast cancer is detectable due to the strong enhancement in dynamic breast imaging that peaks early (about 1-2 min.) after
contrast medium injection. If breast cancer is suspected, a breast
biopsy may be necessary to secure the diagnosis.
See also
Magnetic Resonance Imaging MRI,
Biopsy and
MR Guided Interventions.
Requirements in breast
MRI procedures:
•
Both breasts must be measured without gaps.
•
For the best possible detection of enhancement fat signal should be eliminated either by image subtraction or by
spectrally selective
fat saturation.
•
Thin slices are necessary to assure absence of partial
volume effects.
•
Imaging should be performed with a spatial
resolution in plane less than 1 mm.
For Ultrasound Imaging (USI) see
Breast Ultrasound at
Medical-Ultrasound-Imaging.com.
See also the related poll result: '
MRI will have replaced 50% of x-ray exams by'
•
] and 3 definitions [
], (+ 1 Boolean[
] results
Further Reading:
(.pdf)
Random Page
top
