MRI scanning is a powerful tool for detecting abnormalities in soft tissue and bones. Major research studies in recent years have indicated that up to 5 percent of cancers that are missed by mammograms and ultrasound are detectable by MRI.
The American Cancer Society recommends MRI screening for any woman who meets at least one of the following criteria.
If you have questions about any of these criteria, ask your primary care physician or contact Harrington's High Risk Breast Specialist at (806) 212-0634.
MRI screening is so sensitive that it detects almost all breast abnormalities, the vast majority of which are completely harmless. Screening all women might needlessly subject many healthy women to uncomfortable follow-up procedures (such as biopsies), not to mention the stress and anxiety of waiting for test results.
Most studies indicate that an abnormality that is negative on both a mammogram and an ultrasound has less than a 5 percent chance of turning out to be cancer. But for women with positive mammograms or ultrasounds, for women at high risk of developing breast cancer, and for women currently undergoing cancer treatment, MRI imaging at the Harrington Breast Center offers a closer level of scrutiny and is proving to be an indispensable part of patient care.