Dr. Kenneth Allen

 What about breast MRI?

MRI of the breast is becoming a more frequently used tool for the detection and evaluation of breast cancer.  When MRI of the breast is performed, an IV injection of contrast is administered, and  multiple rapid images of the breasts are obtained to observe the pattern of contrast passage through the breast tissue.  Breast cancer tissue usually contains an abnormally increased quantity of blood vessels so the IV contrast material tends to flow into and wash out of this abnormal tissue much more rapidly than normal breast material.  MRI is exquisitely sensitive in detecting this abnormal pattern of blood flow, so this technique turns out to be very sensitive in detecting breast cancer.  Unfortunately there are other conditions that can mimic this pathologic appearance on MRI, so not everything that looks like cancer on MRI is actually bad.  In general, MRI is much more sensitive than mammography for detecting invasive breast cancer, but many cancers are not invasive and haven't developed the abnormal network of cancerous blood vessels that would help them show up on MRI.  For this reason, mammography remains the primary screening tool in looking for breast cancer.  In patients who have an unusually high risk of breast cancer, or in whom the breast tissue is so dense that mammography has a hard time penetrating the tissue, MRI may still be used as a screening tool in looking for cancer, in addition to mammography.  

More often, MRI is used in patients who already have a known diagnosis of breast cancer, to help plan or follow up treatment.  If a tumor is detected in one breast, MRI may be used to determine if there are other tumors in the same breast or in the other breast, which would influence the kind of treatment planned.  

MRI is still a relatively expensive test, so it is hard to justify the cost as a screening technique in large populations of women, but the exam is rapidly increasing in popularity, so we are likely to see a much wider use of this tool in the future.

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Over the years DRA has given away around 10,000 bookmarkers to women all over the Greater Waterbury area.  It's time they make a return visit and we are asking for your suggestions on the quotes.  Send us via e-mail or facebook your favorite quotes by women or "anonymous."  5 quotes will be selected and the winning admissions will receive a special thank you from DRA. (Only 1 prize per person.)  The deadline is April 13th.  Join in on the fun and submit a quote!