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Breast MRI Services in Lakeland, FL

While mammography remains the gold standard in breast imaging, it may miss 15-20% of cancers, particularly in women with dense breast tissue which can obscure an underlying tumor. Breast MRI at Women’s Imaging Center in Lakeland, Florida is capable of detecting smaller breast lesions sometimes missed by mammography.

Women who are considered “high risk” are advised to have a breast MRI along with an annual mammogram, starting at age 30, and continuing as long as she is in good health. Click here to take a breast cancer risk assessment »

Breast MRI is also an excellent tool to evaluate and clarify mammogram abnormalities. It is also used to stage cancer and can be especially valuable in pre-surgical planning. If a woman is pregnant or has received radiation therapy to the chest for another type of cancer, she may also choose to have a breast MRI because it does not expose her to any ionizing radiation.
Breast MRI is a non-invasive and painless test that uses a highly sophisticated magnet, electrical impulses, and a computer to create detailed images of the breast which, just like a digital mammogram, can be studied from different angles.

The doctors at Women’s Imaging Center specialize in women’s imaging and breast MRI and have undertaken fellowship training in women’s imaging—an additional 1-2 years. This higher degree of specialty can make a real difference when it comes to the quality of your test results. Call the Women’s Imaging Center at 863-688-2334 today to schedule your breast MRI.

Who qualifies for a screening breast MRI?

According to recent guidelines, annual breast MRI is recommended for women who have:

  • A greater than 20% lifetime risk (women with a lifetime risk of 15%+ are encouraged to talk with their doctors about the possibility of adding breast MRI to their annual screening)
  • A BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation
  • A first-degree relative with BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation and have not had genetic testing themselves
  • Had radiation therapy to the chest for another type of cancer between the ages of 10 and 30 years
  • A genetic disease such as Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Cowden syndrome, or Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome, or have one of these syndromes in first-degree relatives

The American Cancer Society (ACS) recommends that women diagnosed with breast cancer, women who are at high risk for breast cancer, and women with certain breast implants have an annual MRI scan in addition to mammography.

When should a diagnostic breast MRI be performed?

  • Breast MRI is often recommended to evaluate lumps in the breast found during a physical examination, or suspicious findings on ultrasound or mammography.
  • It can be used to determine the integrity of breast implants, evaluating them for leaks, ruptures or suspicious areas detected on a mammogram. MRI can also detect leakage from silicone breast implants.
  • For women with breast cancer, breast MRI can distinguish between scar tissue and recurrent tumors. It can be used to evaluate a significant change in the lumpectomy site. It can also determine if cancer has spread.
  • Breast MRI is used to stage cancer, and to evaluate the effects of treatment. MRI assists your doctor in making the best treatment decisions.

Contact Women’s Imaging Center

For questions about breast MRI and your options ask your physician or call us at 863-688-2334. Women’s Imaging Center is a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence and serves women throughout Central Florida at our Lakeland, Florida location.

Breast MRI is a non-invasive imaging technique that does not require exposure to radiation.

Breast MRI has been shown to detect small breast lesions that are sometimes missed by mammography.

Breast MRI provides more clear and detailed images of the soft-tissue structures of the body than other imaging methods. The detail makes MRI an invaluable tool in early diagnosis and evaluation of tumors.

Breast MRI can help determine if a cancer is limited to one area of the breast, or if it is “multicentric” and involves more than one area. Knowing this affects treatment choices since mastectomy is necessary for multicentric disease. This is particularly useful for women with invasive lobular cancer, which has a tendency to be diffuse or multicentric.

In the case of metastatic breast cancer, MRI can evaluate other parts of the body. For example, a woman who has progressive back pain, or who develops new weakness or numbness in the arms or legs (not just hands or feet), can have a breast MRI scan of her back. The scan can help identify serious conditions such as the possible presence of a spinal tumor or brain metastasis.

Breast MRI has been used successfully in women who have breast cancer cells in an underarm lymph node, but have no breast mass that doctors are able to feel or see on a mammogram. In these cases, where mastectomy is typically recommended, MRI can help find the precise site of the cancer’s origin within the breast. Finding the cancer’s precise origin can expand a woman’s treatment options from only mastectomy to include lumpectomy plus radiation.

Please to sure to bring your mammogram films, unless you are a patient of the Women’s Imaging Center.

Please make the physician and/or technologist aware of the following information:

  • The date of last menstrual period
  • If you are post menopausal
  • If you are pregnant or experiencing a late menstrual period
  • If you are you taking oral contraceptives or receiving hormonal treatment
  • If you are you taking any type of fertility medication or having fertility treatments
  • If you are you currently breastfeeding

Breast MRI is an exceptional tool for breast cancer diagnosis and staging, however, this technology must be administered by experienced practitioners who understand its appropriate uses and limitations. Radiology & Imaging Specialists has extensive experience in all facets of breast imaging and MRI. Our board certified radiologists, technologists, and specialized equipment offer state-the-art breast imaging and interpretations.

To learn more please visit: Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool

Breast MRI Equipment - Women's Imaging Center - Lakeland, FL
Breast MRI Patient Brochure
Breast MRI Patient Brochure (Spanish)
Breast MRI CPT Codes
BREAST CANCER RISK ASSESSMENT
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