E-poster Presentation 2014 World Cancer Congress

Signs in MR mammography: Eyes sees what mind knows (#763)

Meenakshi Thakur 1
  1. Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, Maharashtra, Australia

Background and Context:

MR mammography (MRM) is new avenue in the diagnosis of breast cancer. With  advances in  temporal resolution MRM can accurately detect breast cancers larger than 3 millimetres.  problem in recent years has been an international debate concerning methods, techniques, and the interpretation of the myriad images.

Aim: abstract will discuss the
• Known signs in MRM and illustrate them with examples so that, in  future, this information can be applied in the practical interpretation of MR mammograms.
• Recent advances in MRM: role of diffusion, perfusion and spectroscopy imaging

Strategy/Tactics:MRI protocol was standardized in all cases. Diagnostic enhanced breast MRI was performed at 1.5T and 3.0T clinical MR imaging system by using a bilateral, dedicated phased-array 8-Channel Breast Array breast coil with  patient in the prone position.  protocol included an axial localizer sequence followed by sagittal and axial fast spin-echo T2 and T1-weighted and STIR sequences. This was followed by Multifunctional sequences, which included DWI, SWI, IDEAL, dynamic contrast enhanced MRI and Spectroscopy.

Programme/Policy Process:• It is important for  general radiologist to be familiar with indications and contraindications, equipment and patient positioning, imaging basics, the ACR BI-RADS® lexicon, common artifacts, common lesions, post-treatment evaluation, and silicone implant evaluation.
• With a focus on the basic imaging principles of breast MRI rather than on mathematical equations, this exhibit will show a practical approach to imaging protocols that helps radiologists increase their diagnostic effectiveness

Outcomes/What was learned:High sensitivity but low specificity, has been used like a mantra to characterize MRM. But results in recent decades suggest that we can greatly increase this limited specificity by extracting and analyzing all of  morphologic and kinetic signs When MRM is interpreted as described in this exhibit, it can help to alleviate this major problem by allowing breast cancers to be detected and treated at a earlier, curable stage.