Who is a Candidate for Breast MRI?

Anyone (yes, men too) can have a Breast MRI exam. However, the exam isn't always appropriate for everyone. There are risks and benefits. Also, at the present time, Breast MRI is usually done at a research institution. Each institution has its own list of inclusion and exclusion criteria, based on what studies are being done.

• Usually, Breast MRI candidates are women who already have a cancer diagnosis and plan to have surgery or chemotherapy followed by surgery. This is because breast MRI is still considered experimental and most research studies require pathological tissue samples to confirm what is seen on the MRI images.
• Other candidates are those with a suspicious lump or mammogram, who are also going on to have a biopsy or surgery.
• Women may also be candidates if they have dense breasts, scar tissue from previous breast surgery or implants, which may prevent mammography from providing an adequate picture of the breast.
• Some breast MRI studies include women who are at high risk for breast cancer (due to a previous cancer diagnosis, strong family history for breast cancer or a positive test for one of the breast cancer genes).

As mentioned, each institution where MRI is performed will have its own specific studies or protocols and may not do all of these evaluations. It's important to find out which institutions are doing what types of evaluations and if the exam is clinical (you or your insurance must pay for the exam) or research (you are a volunteer being enrolled in a study, which is free to you and your insurance company).

Remember, breast MRI should not replace your regular screening and diagnostic tools, such as mammograms, clinical and self exams and, if indicated by your doctor, fine needle aspiration or biopsy.