ECR: Momentum gathers for abbreviated MRI in high-risk breast screening

Abbreviated breast MRI is not only effective for screening among high-risk women but also useful for evaluating "pure" ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), according to two presentations delivered March 2 at ECR 2024. The shortened protocol offers patients a safe alternative to longer breast MRI screening exams – and streamlines radiology department workflow, said first presenter Dr. Tamara Suaris of St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London. "Abbreviated breast MRI can be considered as a safe alternative to conventional MRI studies [for] very high-risk screening, reducing MR waiting times and backlog," she noted. Abbreviated breast MRI offers a cost-effective way to use the modality without compromising diagnostic accuracy, Suaris explained. She and colleagues assessed the performance of this type of protocol in women at high risk for breast cancer via a study that included 236 shortened breast MRI exams performed between 2018 and 2021. The exam consisted of six sequences -- precontrast T1W, T2W axial, two dynamic postcontrast, subtracted axial sequences, and MIP reconstruction -- compared with a conventional protocol of 19 sequences. Four readers blinded to patients' prior imaging, history, and disease outcomes reviewed the scans. Out of the 236 studies, four invasive cancers and one BI-RADS 3 lesion were identified. The team found that the abbreviated protocol performed well in negative predictive value (NPV) and sensitivity: .tg {border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0;}...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: Clinical News MRI Source Type: news