BREAST MRI

MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is a type of body scan which is used widely in the medical investigation of many different types of soft tissue including breast. The machine obtains its information by using strong magnets and does not use any form of radiation.

Breast MRI can be useful in screening young patients known to be at a higher genetic risk of developing breast cancer.

For ladies with a known breast cancer, MRI can give additional useful information about the size and shape of the cancer in young women, women with dense breast tissue on standard mammograms or women with a particular type of breast cancer called lobular breast cancer.

The integrity of breast implants may also be best assessed using an MRI scan of the breast.

Patients will need to be able to lie on their front to have a breast MRI, with the procedure normally taking about 45 minutes to one hour. An injection into a vein is often given half way through the scan to allow as much information as possible to be obtained from the scan. This will all be explained to you before the scan by a radiographer who will also check that there are no reasons not to have the scan (such as having a heart pacemaker).

Results will usually be available within a few days of the MRI being carried out. We will have discussed how we deliver these results to you at your consultation before the MRI is carried out.

Discussion with Rachel is important to answer any questions that you may have. For information about any additional conditions not featured within the site, please contact us for more information.