Breast MRI at The Women’s Imaging Center

One breast imaging examination is not better than the other. There are different types of imaging examinations performed for different indications. Mammograms are still considered the first line in breast imaging, and the MRI is a supplemental imaging scan for “high-risk imaging” or to evaluate the “extent of disease" after an abnormal breast biopsy.

Some women with a strong family history of breast cancer or other personal risk factors may be recommended to perform breast MRI on a regular basis to look for subtle vascular differences in the breast tissue that may represent early cancer. 

Mammography can still detect some types of breast cancer that MRI can not detect so some women may need both. The American College of Radiology does not recommend MRI of the breast for women of average or low risk because of the chance of false alarms.

A Breast MRI is commonly performed to distinguish normal versus pathological tissues. In an asymptotic woman with a strong family history of breast cancer, a surveillance MRI may show subtle vascular changes in adjacent tissues that allows early cancer to stand out. In women with a recent abnormal breast biopsy for a precancerous or cancerous condition, MRI helps to eliminate other areas of concern or provide a map for the breast surgeon preoperatively. MRI of the breast can also be used as a diagnostic scan to find the reason for a persistent complaint as bloody nipple discharge that cannot be detected on diagnostic mammogram or ultrasound imaging.

The Women's Imaging Center Radiologist or your referring clinician will determine if this exam is the best one for you. Most MRIs require insurance authorization which we will obtain from your carrier. This process can take up to 72 working hours, but some insurance plans may take longer than others to approve the examination. 

Breast MRIs require intravenous contrast to show subtle differences in tissue types so an IV will be inserted in the arm or hand. If you have never had an IV placed, it's a very tiny flexible catheter through which we inject the contrast agent (called Gadolinium). You lay comfortably on your abdomen and the padded breast coils are fitted around the breasts, and your MRI technologist checks your position and preliminary imaging before the administration of contrast. Both breasts are scanned at the same time. 

The technologist then injects the contrast dye which is taken up differently in different types of tissues to different degrees. The coils are used to pick up the MRI signals. The signals are converted to images for the radiologists to interpret. There are often more than 1,000 images to review so the examination results are not immediately available.

The amount of time that an MRI takes depends on whether contrast dye needs to be administered or whether special imaging sequences are needed. Almost all breast MRI requires the use of intravenous contrast. However, if the MRI examination is ordered to evaluate breast implants alone (not the breast tissue), then contrast is not required. The usual time for MRI of the breasts for either indication takes approximately 35 minutes.

For preventative or screening MRI examinations, you will be notified by mail regarding your results with instructions of whether any follow up is indicated. We will coordinate that follow up through our office. Your referring clinician will also receive a copy of that report. 

However, if the exam is performed for a diagnostic reason such as after an abnormal breast biopsy, your ordering clinician or surgeon receives that report. The clinician who will act on those results will discuss those results at your consultation.