Abstract
Ninety-three pathologically proved breast diseases were examined by plain MRI in different sequences and enhanced MRI. The disease was breast cancer in 85 lesions and other diseases in 8. Detectability of breast cancer by plain MRI was 70-80%, and there was no significant difference in sequences. Of breast cancer, 96.3% were detected by enhanced MRI ; only 3 cases failed to be demonstrated. Detectability of breast cancer by enhanced MRI was as high as that of ultrasonography (95.1%) . Enhanced MRI revealed 87.6% of multicentric or daughter nodules (13/15) and three cases of muscle invasion, and the dete-ctability appeared superior to that by ultrasonography or mammography. We obtained three-dimensional images of breast cancer by MRI which an easy and clear understanding of the position of cancer especially those adjacent to the nipple or the chest wall and presence of multicentric nodules and muscle invasion. Sensitivity of detection of metastatic axillary lymph nodes was high (91.9%) while specificity was low (56.5%) . Enhanced MRI, especially 3 D MRI will be very valuable in the determination of staging of cancer and the operative procedure.
