Breast MRI is an extremely important diagnostic procedure that allows you to get the most clear images of the gland allowing doctors to reliably detect the presence or absence of changes in the breast. MRI, as a rule, complements mammography , as well as ultrasound examination of the breast. Consider the advantages of MRI:
- for conducting MRI there is no need to perform surgery, because this is a non-invasive procedure;
- when MRI is performed, no harmful x-rays are used;
- the use of MRI makes it possible to distinguish those pathologies that can not be visualized in other ways;
- the results of MRI are invaluable in detecting cancer changes in the mammary gland, as well as in determining the stage of the disease.
MRI of mammary glands with contrast and without contrast
Magnetic resonance imaging of mammary glands can be performed with contrast or without contrast. Without contrast, MRI is performed to obtain the following information:
- on the density of breast tissue;
- the presence of extensions of milky streams;
- about the presence of cysts;
- on the presence of hematoma;
- on the presence of ruptures or leaks of breast implants.
The use of contrast medium in MRI allows the following:
- to reveal the presence of pathological formations in the chest;
- to recognize and distinguish benign neoplasms from malignant;
- determine the size, as well as the localization of possible pathological education;
- consider enlarged lymph nodes.
MRI of the breast with contrasting implies the use of a special contrast agent. Contrast is injected intravenously to visualize neoplasms, and also to show which vessels they feed. Also, the contrast allows you to determine the nature of the tumor (benign or malignant). The use of contrast enhancer increases the informative value of magnetic resonance imaging when determining breast cancer to 95%.
MRI of the mammary glands: procedure for performing
Optimal procedure for 7-12 days of the cycle, and in menopause - at any time. At the same time, no preliminary preparation is required.
For MRI, you need to change into a shirt, although this requirement is not always presented. The main thing is that the clothes do not have metal parts. You may be advised to follow the diet before the test, or refrain from taking certain medications.
During the procedure, it is necessary to lie on the abdomen, while the mammary glands should be lowered into special holes, which are surrounded by rollers and a special spiral. The spiral receives the MRI setting signal to create the highest quality image.
If it is necessary to use a contrast agent, then it is injected through a special catheter intravenously directly during the diagnostic procedure.
MRI with breastfeeding is not contraindicated, however, nursing mothers, as a rule,
If the patient is overweight , conducting an MRI diagnosis can be difficult. Also reduces the informative value of the procedure for the presence of breast implants. In addition, if the task is to identify calcium deposits in tissues or tumors, MRI can not give the desired result.
In the presence of a pacemaker, vascular clips and other metal devices in the chest area, the MRI procedure can not be performed.