Improving the Quality of Breast MRI Acquisition and Processing
Discussing findings from a new study presented at the Society for Breast Imaging (SBI) conference, Shahrzad Tavana, M.D., detailed the significant impact of training sessions for MRI technologists in improving breast positioning, optimal field of view and accuracy of sequence submissions to PACS for breast MRI exams.
Examining the impact of training sessions for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technologists at the University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center in Ohio, researchers saw significant improvements in image acquisition and processing for breast MRI exams, according to new study findings presented at the Society for Breast Imaging (SBI) 2024 Breast Imaging Symposium in Montreal.
In a recent interview, Shahrzad Tavana, M.D., pointed out a 25 percent improvement in the compliance rate for correct breast positioning within the coil (from 52 percent pre-training to 77 percent post-training) and a 29 percent improvement with ensuring an optimal field of view (from 62 percent pre-training to 91 percent post-training.
“The ideal field of view for a breast MRI is from the clavicle to the inframammary fold with the axilla included bilaterally,” noted Dr. Tavana, a chief resident in diagnostic radiology at the University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center in Ohio. “Sometimes we noticed that some of the breast MRs being done included the spine in the field of view. Sometimes, the axilla wasn’t adequately covered. All of these affect the resolution.”
(Editor’s note: For related content, see “Study Shows BPE Quantification on MRI Helps Predict Risk of Breast Cancer Recurrence,” “MRI Surveillance Associated with 80 Percent Reduction in Breast Cancer Mortality for Women with BRCA1” and “Five Takeaways from New Breast MRI Literature Review.”)
Dr. Tavana and her colleagues also a 39 percent improvement in accuracy with the submission of MRI sequences to PACS (from 47 percent pre-training to 86 percent post-training). The training also led to reduced false positive scans, decreased recall rates and improved efficiency in the reading room, according to Dr. Tavana.
“Our project underscored the importance of a collaborative effort between the radiologists and the MRI technologists,” emphasized Dr. Tavana. “It resulted in improved quality of the breast MRs that we perform here.”
For more insights from Dr. Tavana, watch the video below.
Can Abbreviated Breast MRI Have an Impact in Assessing Post-Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Response?
April 24th 2025New research presented at the Society for Breast Imaging (SBI) conference suggests that abbreviated MRI is comparable to full MRI in assessing pathologic complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.
New bpMRI Study Suggests AI Offers Comparable Results to Radiologists for PCa Detection
April 15th 2025Demonstrating no significant difference with radiologist detection of clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa), a biparametric MRI-based AI model provided an 88.4 percent sensitivity rate in a recent study.
Could Ultrafast MRI Enhance Detection of Malignant Foci for Breast Cancer?
April 10th 2025In a new study involving over 120 women, nearly two-thirds of whom had a family history of breast cancer, ultrafast MRI findings revealed a 5 percent increase in malignancy risk for each second increase in the difference between lesion and background parenchymal enhancement (BPE) time to enhancement (TTE).
