[Feasibility of MRI imaging in patients with breast cancer]

Three women aged 45, 37 and 56 underwent MRI imaging of the breast for: breast-cancer screening, pre-operative staging and for monitoring the response on chemotherapy. Breast cancer at an early stage for which breast-saving surgery was possible was discovered in the first woman. In the second woman, the tumour was larger than was seen with mammography or ultrasound and other tumour sites were seen, leading to a more extensive treatment plan. In the year thereafter no metastases were found. In the third woman the response to chemotherapy was monitored. 8 months after therapy she appeared to have skeletal metastases. Mammography and ultrasound are the most commonly used modalities in breast imaging. Over the past few years MRI has been making an increasingly large contribution to the screening, staging and follow-up of patients with breast cancer. MRI can be an important supplementary study but its exact role still needs to be defined.