Know About MRI breast Before You Go

Before you go for your MRI breast exam it is important what you know before you go.  By becoming aware and making certain the radiology center that is performing your study is using the best methods available to get the best MRI exam for you possible.

We felt it important to publish this information, because we know of places that are interested in doing the best MRI breast exam possible, and some rare others, not-so-much.  If it were our family members and friends who went for the MRI breast exam, we would want you to have the best study possible, available. This is important in finding early detection through your MRI breast procedure.

(By January 1, 2012, all centers doing Breast MRI supposedly will be required to be ACR accredited, or they will not qualify for Medicare or insurance reimbursement, which means they will not get paid.)

ASK THESE QUESTIONS SO YOU KNOW ABOUT BREAST MRI BEFORE YOU GO:

1) Is their facility ACR (American College of Radiology) accredited? Is the accreditation current or has it expired? (By January 1, 2012, all centers doing MRI Breast supposedly will be required to be ACR accredited, or they will not qualify for Medicare or insurance reimbursement, which means they will not get paid.)
_____Yes ____No

2) Do they use a dedicated MRI breast coil (antenna) with multiple channels?

_____Yes ____No (If no, find another center.)

3) Are their technologists ARRT registered for Magnetic Resonance? (American Registry of Radiologic Technologists who have taken and passed the MRI national board exam.)

_____Yes _____No

4) What is the slice thickness they use for the dynamic MRI breast study portion? (The thinner the better, but 2mm is maximum slice thickness. Anything under 1mm is very good.)

_____Yes _____No

5) Does the center use a 3D post processing system, (such as Aurora, Confirma, DynaCad or Aegis BRIGHT) to review the images?

_____Yes _____No

6) Is the breast MRI exam being performed on a 1.5T field strength system or stronger?

_____Yes _____No

7) Is the radiologist reading the exam “experienced” with reading dynamic MRI breast exams?  (In other words, have they completed a breast MRI preceptor-ship, do they have another radiologist available for MRI breast over-reads, and do they average at least 10 MRI breast studies a month?)

_____Yes_____No

If you get an answer of YES to all the questions above, the center you are having your MRI breast exam done at is most likely using the latest procedures, products, and methods available. If you get an answer of NO to 2 out of these questions, it is probably in your best interest to find a better center, and get the best study you can get for your money elsewhere. As MRI breast experts, this is what we would recommend to our families and friends.