MRI of mammary glands

MRI of the breast or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a study that significantly helps diagnose the disease and treat it.

At the heart of magnetic resonance imaging is the use of a computer system, magnetic fields and high-frequency pulses, which make it possible to obtain an image of the organs in detail. As a result, MRI produces images that can be viewed on a monitor, printed or transmitted on media.

It should be noted that X-rays are not used for magnetic resonance imaging.

Accurate detailing of images of certain organs or internal systems greatly facilitates the process of identifying the disease, if other types of studies are not effective and do not give a complete picture.

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Indications for MRI of the mammary glands

There are some indications for MRI of the mammary glands:

• Obtaining details about the nature of the formations that were identified in mammography;
• Diagnosis of cancer tumors in the early stages, which is almost impossible to detect by other methods of research. This is especially true for women at high risk of this disease;
• Check the integrity of existing breast implants;
• Diagnosis of connective tissue after surgery to identify scars or relapses of the disease;
• Setting the extent of breast cancer before and after surgery;
• Obtaining information about the success of chemotherapy sessions;

Preparation for MRI of the mammary glands

All who are assigned this study, you need to perform some actions before the diagnosis. Preparation for MRI of the mammary glands has several points:

• Before you do an MRI, you need to make sure that you do not have any metal parts on your clothes or purchase a special shirt for research;
• Before magnetic resonance imaging, it is necessary to ask the attending physician about the appointment of a diet or restriction in taking certain medications that may affect the results of the diagnosis;
• In some cases, MRI doctors can use contrast, which is administered intravenously. Therefore, the medical staff should provide all information about the presence of allergies to drugs, as well as about the performed operations, the existing serious diseases or pregnancy;
• In the presence of fear of enclosed spaces, it is necessary to inform the doctor about this, who in turn can prescribe sedative medications;
• It is recommended to leave all the decorations at home, which can begin to interact with the magnet. To this group of personal things it is worth adding mobile phones, watches, credit cards, etc.

How is Breast MRI performed?

Of course, everyone who is assigned this study for the first time, is interested in the question: how is MRI of mammary glands performed?

Usually this type of diagnostic study is performed on an outpatient basis and does not require hospitalization. The patient is placed on a movable table. The use of belts and rollers is not necessary, but it is possible in cases where it is important to keep one position for the entire time of magnetic resonance imaging.

For MRI of the mammary glands, the position of the patient lying on the abdomen is used, and her breasts at this time freely hang down in special openings. In these holes there are soft rollers and a spiral, which takes part in obtaining a good image. When the woman in question is correctly placed on the table, he will enter the MRI magnet.

Magnetic resonance imaging on average lasts from 30 minutes to 1 hour, and can consist of several cycles.

After the end of the MRI, the patient is asked to stay to take additional pictures, if necessary.

MRI for Breast Cancer

Diagnosis of breast cancer always begins with a visit to an oncologist. In this case, the patient must have with herself all the available research results, which were done earlier and records from the mammal receptions. The doctor conducts the examination, and if necessary, appoints additional studies, such as a biopsy or MRI.

The images of the breast, which are obtained as a result of the MRI, give all the necessary information about the tumor, its size and the level of spread. This information is extremely important for the purpose of treatment or decision about surgery.

It is known that without an MRI before the operation, one of the five patients has cancerous foci in the chest. In addition, the use of magnetic resonance tomography prevents repeated operations.

All women and young girls who are at risk are urged to do an MRI to know about breast health.

MRI of mammary glands with contrast

In medical practice, there are cases of MRI of mammary glands with contrast. Contrast substance serves to give a clear image of tissues in the chest. Magnetic resonance imaging with the use of contrast is able to identify pathological formations together with the vessels that feed them, makes it possible to assess the size and location of the tumor, determine its nature, etc.

The use of contrast medium in magnetic resonance imaging increases the informative value of the study and definition of breast cancer to 95%. That is why oncologists often use this type of diagnosis to detect the disease at its early stage of development.

Contraindications to MRI of the mammary glands

In medical practice, there are several contraindications to MRI of the mammary glands.

The most significant of these is pregnancy or the presence of a period of breastfeeding in the patient. In addition, women with an identified renal failure, magnetic resonance imaging is also not recommended.

Moreover, one should always remember that for any form of magnetic resonance imaging it is forbidden to do if the patient has implanted metal fragments in the body. They can significantly damage the image quality due to magnetic field distortion, and the magnet of the scanner, most likely, will damage them.

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Where to make MRI of mammary glands?

Only your doctor has a choice of ways to diagnose the disease. It is he, based on a detailed study of the history of your illness, decides on diagnostic studies.

To date, magnetic resonance imaging is recognized as one of the informative tools for diagnosing breast diseases.

A special design for breast examination in a magnetic resonance imager creates light compression during the imaging process, which allows the tissue to expand and improve the visualization of the formations.

If you are looking for the right answer to the question of where to make breast MRI, we recommend to find out everything about the rating of your chosen hospital or private clinic. Take an interest in the level of doctors' qualifications and read the reviews of patients.

Reviews about MRI of mammary glands

Virtually all reviews of MRI of the mammary glands contain information about the research and sensations before and after the procedure.

Most often, the process of conducting magnetic resonance imaging is painless. There are some difficulties with the fact that sometimes, it is difficult for patients to lie in one position during a fairly long period of research. Some people become aggravated by fears, for example, such as claustrophobia.

Often patients say that they felt warmth in the field of research. This is absolutely normal, but it scares many. In these cases, medical personnel should be told about this using the built-in communication device inside the MRI.

Price MRI of mammary glands

Of course, every woman, besides the fact that she is interested in the very process of conducting magnetic resonance imaging, worries about the cost of this type of diagnosis. Having studied the price of MRI of mammary glands in various hospitals and clinics, we can safely say that this research is quite expensive and, probably, not everyone can afford. The average cost of a single MRI of the mammary glands is 150-300 dollars. This fact can stop you, but refusing this research, think about what you are risking. In medicine, the best way to diagnose breast cancer in women has not yet been found. Only a magnetic resonance imager, in conjunction with other types of research, can tell about the appearance and development of an undesirable disease.