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The benefits of Magnetic Mammography in the diagnosis of breast cancer are presented by Mr. Arkadios Rousakis, Radiologist, Director of the Department of Axial and Magnetic Tomography & Osteoporosis Measurement, Deputy Director of the PET-CT Department HYGEIA
H Breast MRI or Magnetic Mammography has been internationally established as the most sensitive test for the diagnosis of Breast Cancer and, at the same time, the most reliable for its exclusion.
As it is done in the MRI, it does not use ionizing radiation and is therefore safe to perform as many times as needed. The examination requires the intravenous administration of a contrast agent, which is safe and very rarely accompanied by adverse effects.
The diagnostic accuracy of the examination depends on the equipment (modern magnetic tomograph with a power of at least 1.5 Tesla), the correct selection of patients and examination time, the technical perfection of the examination, the application of specific diagnostic criteria and the experience of the medical radiologist.
Magnetic Mammography is scheduled after evaluating the patient’s history and clinical examination findings, as well as the findings of a recent good quality mammogram or ultrasound, to confirm that there is an indication for its operation.
Women of reproductive age should preferably undergo Magnetic Mammography between the 7th and 14th day of the menstrual cycle, to reduce the possibility of false positive findings. Menopausal women taking hormone replacement therapy are better off stopping it for 6-8 weeks before the test, for the same reason.
As in any case where an MRI examination is planned, possible contraindications, such as the presence of an incompatible cardiac pacemaker and metallic foreign bodies in vital parts of the body, should be ruled out. Also, the case of claustrophobia should be investigated, as for the success of a Magnetic Mammography examination, full cooperation, calmness and immobility of the examinee is required. If deemed necessary, the examination can be done under mild anesthesia.
THE Magnetic Mammography is recommended by the major medical authorities as a first-line test for annual screening in women at high risk of breast cancer. This category includes women who belong to families with many cases of breast cancer or other organs, women with established gene mutations that increase the likelihood of breast cancer, as well as women who underwent chest radiation therapy at a young age.
This test is extremely useful and effective in clarifying the nature of questionable breast findings on mammography and ultrasound, especially in women who have already undergone breast cancer treatments, such as surgery or radiation therapy. Also, it is now recommended as a complementary examination in women with dense breasts and, therefore, difficult to study reliably with mammography.
In recent decades, the role of Magnetic Mammography has been established in the accurate evaluation of the breasts in women with a recent diagnosis of breast cancer, in order to decide the most appropriate treatment for each case. With this examination, other breast cancer foci, which were not shown in the mammography and ultrasound, can be excluded or identified with great accuracy. In cases where chemotherapy is chosen as the initial treatment, Magnetic Mammography is the most reliable test to assess its effect.
In women who have undergone plastic surgery with placement of silicone implants in the breasts, Magnetic Mammography is the most appropriate examination to establish the integrity of the implants or to detect ruptures and other possible complications in them.
In the event that Magnetic Mammography reveals lesions suspicious for cancer that are not recognized, even retrospectively, on mammography and ultrasound, techniques are available for percutaneous biopsy and marking of these lesions with the guidance of this examination, in order to achieve their reliable identification.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and a reminder that prevention and early screening save lives. HYGEIA and MITERA, with their new campaign, try to remind every woman how important breast screening is in preventing the disease, asking the simple question: “Have you been checked?”. So let’s make prevention our ally!
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