Evaluation of the role of magnetic resonance imagine in breast cancer

Objective To evaluate the role of magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.Methods Fifty-three patients suspected of breast malignancy by clinical palpation and(or) mammography underwent MRI examination.All the patients were then submitted to operation and pathological examination.Results Among 41 cases confirmed to be breast cancer,37 were detected by MRI(90.24%) and 33 by mammography(80.48%).Breast-conserving operation was not considered in 2 cases for the presence of multiple lesions in preoperative MRI.Conclusions Contrast enhanced MRI is highly sensitive in the detection of breast cancer in patients with dense breasts not easily diagnosed by mammography.The combination of these two techniques may effectively raise the diagnostic rate of breast cancer.MRI is helpful to the staging of breast cancer and to guide the treatment.