MRI has proved more sensitive than mammography to detect certain types of breast cancer. Data from the International Breast MRI Consortium, reported at the RSNA meeting, confirm those findings but also indicate the potential for false negatives.
MRI has proved more sensitive than mammography to detect certain types of breast cancer. Data from the International Breast MRI Consortium, reported at the RSNA meeting, confirm those findings but also indicate the potential for false negatives.
It's a troublesome finding, ac-cording to investigator Dr. David Bluemke, clinical director of MRI at Johns Hopkins.
"Many patients have ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and microcalcifications, for which MRI is not needed, and a biopsy should just be performed if these are suspicious on the mammogram. We cannot underestimate the importance of mammographic screening," he said.
At this point, it could be technology and tumor type that prevent MRI from overriding a biopsy, said investigator Dr. Constance Lehman, director of breast imaging at the University of Washington, Seattle. In addition to DCIS, some types of low-grade infiltrating carcinomas do not enhance on MR.
"The standard approach to diagnosing cancer, the full diagnostic mammography workup with ultrasound and core biopsy, cannot be pushed aside in this era of MRI," she said.
Stay at the forefront of radiology with the Diagnostic Imaging newsletter, delivering the latest news, clinical insights, and imaging advancements for today’s radiologists.
Study Shows Enhanced Diagnosis of Coronary Artery Stenosis with Photon-Counting CTA
July 10th 2025In a new study comparing standard resolution and ultra-high resolution modes for patients undergoing coronary CTA with photon-counting detector CT, researchers found that segment-level sensitivity and accuracy rates for diagnosing coronary artery stenosis were consistently > 89.6 percent.
FDA Expands Approval of MRI-Guided Ultrasound Treatment for Patients with Parkinson’s Disease
July 9th 2025For patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease, the expanded FDA approval of the Exablate Neuro platform allows for the use of MRI-guided focused ultrasound in performing staged bilateral pallidothalamic tractotomy.