Nonmammographic evaluation of the extent of breast carcinoma

The role of the breast imager has evolved beyond detecting breast cancer. With emphasis on management with breast conservation therapy, it has become imperative to image the patient preoperatively to adequately determine tumor size and to establish the presence or absence of multifocal, multicentric, or contralateral malignancy. The focus of this article was to provide a review of the current literature examining nonmammographic modalities available to the radiologist to thoroughly evaluate the newly diagnosed breast cancer patient. Our emphasis will be on breast ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Specific topics discussed include the role, efficacy, and availability of these modalities in the assessment of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and invasive carcinoma. Mammography remains the standard for the evaluation of the extent of DCIS. However, ultrasound and MRI have been shown to be invaluable adjuncts in the evaluation of the patient with invasive carcinoma, especially those who are considering breast conservation therapy.