Use of preoperative breast MRI results in high cancer yield

Washington, Jan 13 (ANI): Scientists have found that the use of preoperative breast MRI detects otherwise occult cancer with a relatively high degree of accuracy when applied to a diverse population of patients newly diagnosed with breast cancer.

The study was performed at the University of Washington and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance in Seattle, WA.

The review initiated with 592 patients who were recently diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent staging with preoperative breast MRI.

The analysis set was comprised of 570 patients, whose biopsy rates, positive predictive values (PPVs) of biopsy, and overall cancer yields were calculated and compared using the chi-square test across patient age, breast density, index tumor type, receptor status and lymph node status.

"Our data add to the growing body of literature that documents breast MRI's ability to detect otherwise occult additional disease in patients who have been newly diagnosed with breast cancer," said Robert Gutierrez, lead author of the study.

We found that use of preoperative breast MRI in newly diagnosed cancer patients resulted in an added cancer yield of 12pc.This is much higher than the added cancer yield of .08 to 6.7pc seen with high risk screening breast MRI, a more widely accepted indication for breast MRI, " said Gutierrez.

The study appeared in the January 2011 issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology. (ANI)