Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Breast Cancer

Inclusion Criteria:

Women will have already undergone a breast physical examination, will have had mammography
within three months of their MR studies, and if they have not had this study, will
mammography after their MR examinations.

Women with palpable or mammographically-detected suspect breast lesions with or without
breast implants will be imaged. Women who are at high risk for breast cancer may also be
included since these women commonly require breast MRI screening. Since some patients may
have had recent core-needle biopsies and may have recent post-needle biopsy changes but
plan follow-up mastectomies or excision of the biopsy site (complete re-excision), we will
include this group. This will allow us to obtain the broad spectrum of post-needle biopsy
findings since it is a common procedure that is used prior to biopsy to evaluate patients
for potential cancer multicentricity or multifocality. Women who have already undergone
lumpectomy for breast cancer and have post-biopsy/post-radiation changes will be eligible
if they have mammographically-detected or palpable breast abnormalities which are
sufficiently suspicious to merit core needle or surgical biopsy.

Exclusion Criteria:

The low incidence of male breast cancer precludes a significant participation of men in the
program and men will be excluded. Patients must be able to complete an MR examination.
Subjects will be interviewed by one of the investigators for the usual contraindications to
MR including pacemakers, metallic implants, severe claustrophobia, aneurysm clips,
pregnancy, current lactation, or other conditions precluding proximity to a strong magnetic
field. These patients will be excluded if these contraindications are present.

Other patients will be excluded from the MR study if they have had an enhanced MR procedure
within 48 hours, had iodinated contrast within six hours, had known sensitivity to MR
contrast agents, are not likely to complete the study in full or have another clinical
reason which would preclude participation in the protocol.