title: Role of magnetic resonance imaging in managing selected women with newly diagnosed breast cancer.
abstract: The purpose of this study is evaluation of therapeutic impact of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in breast cancer patients that cannot be imaged adequately with traditional radiology: dense breasts, microcalcifications suspicious for carcinoma in situ or discordance between mammography and ultrasound. A review was performed of 493 patients' records: determination of breast MRI effect on clinical management was made for the selected 70 cases by analysing pre-MRI and post-MRI therapeutic plans. Analysis of final pathology was useful to determine if the change in surgical plan prompted by MRI was appropriate. Breast MRI added clinical information in 52.9% of patients that resulted in 44.3% of management changes that were judged as appropriate in 83.9% of cases. Breast MRI provides additional useful information, but causes more extensive surgery (40%) with no proven prognostic benefit. MRI should be considered optional in the clinical staging of breast cancer and performed in selected cases.
authors.affiliation: Surgical Department of University of Trieste, Strada di Fiume 449, 34100 Trieste, Italy. serenascomersi@libero.it
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scomersi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Urbani
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tonutti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zanconati
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bortul
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity