What are the benefits of breast MRI?

• MRI is a noninvasive imaging technique that does not involve exposure to ionizing radiation.• MRI has proved valuable in diagnosing a broad range of conditions, including detecting and staging breast cancer, particularly when other imaging studies (mammography, ultrasound, etc.) fail to provide adequate information.• MRI enables the discovery of abnormalities that might be obscured by bone with other imaging methods.• The contrast material used in MRI exams is less likely to produce an allergic reaction than the iodine-based materials used for conventional x-rays and CT scanning.• MRI is growing in popularity as an addition to traditional x-ray mammography in the early diagnosis of breast cancer.• MRI has been shown to detect small breast lesions that are sometimes missed by mammography.• MRI can successfully image the dense breast common in younger women, as well as breast implants, both of which are difficult to image using traditional mammography.• MRI as an addition to mammography has been shown to be useful in evaluating women at high risk for breast cancer.• If a suspicious lesion is seen with MRI only, MRI can provide guidance for biopsy.Source: RadiologyInfo.org (developed jointly the American College of Radiology and the Radiological Society of North America)