Preparing for a Breast MRI

This article is written by Master, Doctor Ton Nu Tra My - Department of Diagnostic Imaging - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital.

Your doctor may order a breast MRI in the following cases:
You have been diagnosed with breast cancer and the doctor wants to determine how far the cancer has spread; You have a high risk of breast cancer, defined as a lifetime risk of 20% or more, calculated based on family history and other risk factors; You have a family history of breast or ovarian cancer; You have very dense breast tissue and previous mammograms did not detect breast cancer; You have a history of precancerous breast changes, such as atypical hyperplasia or lobular carcinoma in situ, and a family history of breast cancer and dense breast tissue; You have an inherited breast cancer gene mutation, such as BRCA1 or BRCA2;

You had radiation therapy to the chest area before the age of 30. Your doctor suspects you have a leak or ruptured breast implant; If you're not sure if you're at high risk, ask your doctor to help you determine your risk estimate.
Although a breast MRI is used in conjunction with a mammogram (mammogram) or other breast imaging techniques, it is not a substitute for a mammogram. Although this is a highly sensitive technique, breast MRI can still miss some breast cancers that a mammogram would detect.

Before having the scan, you should check with the Medical staff about the cost, as breast MRI is very expensive and may need to be approved by the insurance company before the scan. Most private insurance plans that cover mammography screening also pay for breast MRIs to screen for cancer in high-risk subjects. Follow all instructions: Usually, you don't need any special diet or preparation before your MRI, but follow any instructions your healthcare provider gives you. If you have trouble with tight spaces: A breast MRI is usually done while you lie inside a long, narrow tube. If being in tight spaces can cause problems for some people with claustrophobia, you may need medication to help you relax while in the camera. Talking to a technician or counselor or taking a tour of the MRI machine before the scan can also help. You may be alone in the imaging room, but you can talk to the MRI technician and he or she can see and hear what is happening during the scan.

Remove metal objects: Before the shoot, you will be asked to undress and put on a gown or other clothing without zippers or metal. Be sure to remove all metal objects you have, such as hairpins, jewelry, and body piercings. If you have metal in your body: Before the scan, the technician will ask if you have any metal in your body. Some metal objects won't cause problems, but others might. If you have any of the following medical implants, you should not even enter the MRI area unless you have been approved by your doctor or radiologist:
implanted cardiac fibrillation or pacemaker ; Implant clip in brain aneurysm; Cochlear implants; Metal coils inside blood vessels.

It is advisable to schedule a breast MRI when you are in the 7th to 14th day of your menstrual cycle. Where the first day is understood as the first day you have your period of the current menstrual cycle. If your periods are irregular, let your doctor know so he or she can consider ordering a blood progesterone test to determine the optimal time for a breast MRI. Tell your doctor about any allergies you have or have ever had to contrast dye. Most MRI procedures use a contrast medium to make the images with better contrast for a more accurate diagnosis.

Tell your doctor if you have kidney problems. Because the contrast agent used in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the breast can cause complications in people with kidney problems. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant. Magnetic contrast-enhanced breast MRI is not usually indicated for pregnant women because of the risk of magnetic fields and contrast agents affecting the fetus. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding. If you're breastfeeding, your doctor may recommend that you stop breastfeeding two days after your MRI scan. This will give your body time to clear the contrast dye from your body before you breastfeed. You can pump and discard your milk during this stage. Before the scan, you can pump and store milk to feed your baby during breastfeeding breaks.
Vinmec International General Hospital is the first unit to put into use a 3.0 Tesla silent magnetic resonance imaging machine, bringing outstanding advantages. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at Vinmec will have the following outstanding advantages:
High imaging technology, first-class safety by accuracy, non-invasiveness and no radiation. High image quality, allowing doctors to comprehensively evaluate, not miss even the smallest lesions in organs Minimize noise, create the most comfort for patients when taking pictures, reduce stress, this helps better image quality and shortens the maximum scanning time. MRI with Silent technology is especially suitable for the elderly and children, people with weak health, and patients undergoing surgery. .. MRI scan at Vinmec can take 3-D vascular reconstruction without injection of magnetic contrast, can reconstruct and handle motion disturbances of Master's patients. Dr. Ton Nu Tra My is currently a Doctor of Radiology, Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital. Dr. Tra My used to be a lecturer in the Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy and had a long time working at the Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy Hospital.
To register for examination and treatment at Vinmec International General Hospital, customers can call Hotlines of hospitals or register online HERE.
References: mayoclinic.org, cancer.org, hopkinsmedicine.org, healthline.com