Does preoperative magnetic resonance imaging modify breast cancer surgery?

Aims: To determine the impact of preoperative use of breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in therapeutic surgical approach in women with breast cancer.

Materials And Methods: Preoperative contrast-enhanced MRI of the breast was performed in 105 patients with suspected breast carcinomas. MRI findings were correlated with mammography (MMG) and ultrasonography (US).

Results: Histopathologic analysis revealed 144 breast carcinomas. The results of the MRI lead to a change in 17.1% of the planned surgical procedure. MRI imaging alone revealed 16 multifocal or multicentric tumors and four contralateral carcinomas.

Conclusion: Breast MRI could be recommended as a pre-surgical diagnostic procedure in patients allocated to breast conservation surgery. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to determine if preoperative breast MRI leads to a decrease in tumor recurrence and in overall survival.