“Even though my mother and sister both had breast cancer, I didn’t really think about it that much…about whether I would get it one day. Maybe I just didn’t want to think about it. But my doctor said I should be tested. I was shocked when she said I had some sort of breast cancer gene mutation…that I was at ‘high risk.’ That’s when I went for my first MRI. She said a mammogram alone just wasn’t enough.” C.S. MRI patient
In an age of frequent technological advances in medical diagnosis and treatment, it’s a challenge to stay well informed. Yet being well informed can help each of us to play an important role in our own health. Much progress has been made in technologies used for diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), the steady decline in deaths from breast cancer since 1990 can be attributed to advances in breast cancer treatment and early detection.
As of 2007 the ACS recommends that women at high risk for breast cancer have an MRI in addition to, not instead of a mammogram. Because it’s a more sensitive test, it is actually better able to detect cancer than a mammogram. It is also suggested that women at moderate risk ask their medical professional about the benefits of adding MRI screening to their yearly mammogram.
How do you know if you are at high risk or moderately increased risk of developing breast cancer? According to Dr. George Wright, clinical director and co-founder of FirstMRI in Bangor, Maine, “It is important to patients who have a family history of breast cancer or who test positive for the BRCA gene mutation to consider MRI in addition to mammography and ultrasound because breast MRI is definitive in showing tumor abnormalities. Breast MRI is also recognized as the imaging modality of choice for screening high risk patients for breast disease. MRI is complementary to not just cancer detection, but it can resolve other clinical questions such as breast implant ruptures or problematic mammogram findings that are suspicious for disease.”
MRI, magnetic resonance imaging, provides a safe and comfortable way to look inside the body by producing clear images, without radiation, and with clarity unrivaled by any other type of imaging. Kathy Merrithew, RTR, MR, Chief Technologist at FirstMRI says,"Breast MRI is unbelievable in terms of image quality and is a complementary piece of the puzzle in the management of breast disease. We are dedicated to making this test as easy for the patient as we can, assuring that each patient is comfortable and well informed. It takes less than one half hour and results are available within 24 hours.Patients don’t have to disrobe, we image both breasts at once, we don’t compress the breasts, and claustrophobia is hardly an issue since the patient’s head does not go in the magnet."
“Now I’m actually glad I have these breast MRIs. I realize that the more I know, the less I worry.” C.S. MRI patient