Breast magnetic resonance imaging: initial experience in Kuwait.
OBJECTIVE
To report our initial experience of breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in Kuwait in order to identify and characterize breast lesions.


METHODS
In 58 patients ranging in age from 25 to 64 years, breast MRI was performed as a problem-solving tool (29); for suspicious local relapse of the treated breast (6); to search for a primary breast cancer in patients with metastatic axillary lymph nodes (5); for local staging of breast cancer (5); breast implants (6); screening in high-risk patients (3), and differentiation between inflammation and inflammatory carcinoma (4). Sagittal fat-saturated T(2) and axial T(1) images were obtained before, and axial fat-saturated T(1) and dynamic sagittal fat-saturated T(1)-weighted images after contrast enhancement in a 1.5-tesla closed magnet. The diagnostic criteria were based on the morphology and kinetics of the lesion. Findings were validated by tissue sampling or radiological follow-up.


RESULTS
Seventy breast lesions (25 malignant, 38 benign and 7 lesions detected by MRI only) were identified in the 58 patients. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of MRI in diagnosing malignant breast lesions were 96, 67, 71 and 95%, respectively, while the accuracy was 80%.


CONCLUSIONS
This initial experience is comparable to other published data. Future plans for improving image spatial resolution and MR-guided procedures have been taken into consideration.
Al-Khawari
Hanaa
H
Department of Clinical Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuwait University, Safat, Kuwait. hkhawari@gmail.com
Kovacs
Agnes
A
Athyal
Reji
R
Al-Manfouhi
Huda
H
Fayaz
Mohammed Salah
MS
Madda
John Patrick
JP
D000328:Adult; D001940:Breast; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007730:Kuwait; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity