Breast MRI (Magnetic resonance
imaging) employs radio and magnetic waves to create high-quality and proper
photos of the interior of the breast. This method comes in handy to analyze the
cases of women who are already undergoing their treatment for cancer. This
technique helps in determining the size of the cancer, and searching for tumors
in both breasts. But MRI is never advised as a screening process, since it can
overlook details important to the case, which a 3D mammogram does not fail to
do.
Tyrer-Cuzick estimation is
provided to those women who are:
·
Not affected by breast cancer
·
Are negative for gene mutation related to breast
cancer
·
Have no family members with mutated genes
As mammograms are done with
specific equipment to successfully analyze a condition, similarly special tools
are required for conducting a breast MRI. The MRI machine has numerous breast
coils, although it is a sad thing that not every hospital or medical center has
proper breast MRI equipment. Instead of radiations, very strong magnets are
used to complete this process. The magnets map the condition of the breast and
produces very well detailed cross-sectional photos of the concerned area. MRI
can also produce images of tissues which sometimes go overlooked.
Mostly, professionals complement
a breast MRI with a mammography and ultrasound. They must not be mistaken as
alternatives, rather as diagnostic tools which help in the better understanding
of the problem at hand. MRI has been successful in detecting lesions in the
breast, which can be missed by mammography, and is recommended whole-heartedly
by experts.
