"Health care policy decisions regarding the use of important but expensive technology must be based upon evidence that these tools are providing measurable benefit to patients," Anderson said. "This study provides that evidence for breast MRI."

Breast MRI is a relatively new clinical tool for detecting breast cancer and techniques for using the sensitive equipment vary by site. Lehman and colleagues urge that clear standards for technical parameters be established, as well as performance measures at clinical sites that offer MRI.


The MRI guidelines adopted by the NCCN state that MRI examinations should be performed and interpreted by an expert breast-imaging team working in concert with a multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment team. Breast MRI exams require dedicated equipment and breast-imaging radiologists who are familiar with the technical details for image interpretation. The NCCN guidelines also say that imaging centers need to have the ability to perform MRI-guided needle biopsy sampling of lesions detected by MRI to properly evaluate possible abnormalities.

Source: National Comprehensive Cancer Network

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