Magnetic resonance imaging use is increasing in routine preoperative evaluation of women with breast cancer

the Oncology Nurse Advisor take:

A population-based retrospective cohort study was conducted to determine patterns in the utilization of preoperative breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a health care system with universal insurance.

Breast MRI is commonly used in preoperative evaluation of women with breast cancer despite the existing literature showing the practice has little benefit for most patients.

Using administrative heath care databases in Ontario, Canada, the study included 53,015 patients with primary operable breast cancer treated from 2003 to 2012 in more than 14 geographic regions.

Primary outcomes were defined as use of preoperative breast MRI by year, geographic region, and breast cancer stage. In addition, the researchers evaluated postdiagnosis imaging, biopsy, and short-term surgical outcomes between those who did and did not receive MRI.

The study results indicate that 14.8% of patients had a preoperative MRI, and its use increased across all stages by 8-fold. The researchers report that preoperative breast MRI is associated with a significant increase in ancillary investigations, wait time to surgery, mastectomies, and contralateral prophylactic mastectomies.