Pre-operative MR-mammography in breast cancer patients

AimsPre-operatively, to exclude multiple invasive tumours not discovered by mammography and sonography in patients referred for breast conservation surgery.Methods:A supplementary MR-mammography was offered to all patients with mammographic and/or sonographic ascertained tumours less than 2 cm in diameter.ResultsForty patients were offered this additional examination. In accordance with the MR diagnosis, 51% of the planned surgical procedures were changed. Nine patients had more than one invasive tumour, and in four patients the tumour was >2 cm in diameter. One patient had no tumour at all, and in four patients the MR-mammography suggested benign fibroadenomas, which resulted in small excisions. One patient with a suspect MR-mammography presented sclerosing adenosis at surgery. Three patients had to be excluded due to MR problems. Ten patients preferred mastectomy, although the MR-mammography had shown only a single invasive tumour.ConclusionMR-mammography is recommended as a pre-surgical diagnostic procedure in patients allocated to breast conservation surgery.