Problem solving MR imaging of the breast

MR imaging is emerging as a valuable adjunct to mammography and ultrasound for the evaluation of the breast. Breast MR imaging has high sensitivity for the detection of breast cancer but suffers from a relatively low specificity. There is growing experience with this imaging modality as applied to breast diseases and more standardization in obtaining and interpreting these examinations is occurring, including the introduction of a reporting lexicon similar to that for mammography. Breast MR imaging can be used for problem solving in determination of the local extent of disease in women with newly diagnosed breast cancer and for the evaluation of cases that remain inconclusive despite thorough mammographic and sonographic evaluation.