Addition of MR Spectroscopy to Breast MRI Protocol, Reduced Need for Biopsy

Researchers from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York found that imaging suspicious breast lesions with magnetic resonance (MR) significantly reduced the need for biopsy. By adding MR to the breast MR imaging (MRI) protocol, suspicious lesions can be spared of biopsy and no resultant cancers would be missed.

MRI is playing an increasingly important role in the screening of women at high risk for breast cancer. One drawback of the technology, however, has been a considerable number of breast biopsy procedures recommended on the basis of imaging findings, which turn out to be benign. With MR spectroscopy, the radiologist is able to see the chemical make-up of a tumor, so in most cases, he or she can tell without biopsy whether or not the lesion is cancerous.

Read more at RSNA press release.