Radiology, Vol 154, 457-462, Copyright © 1985 by Radiological Society of North America
Prototype coil for magnetic resonance imaging of the female breast. Work in progress
CB Stelling, PC Wang, A Lieber, SS Mattingly, WO Griffen and DE Powell
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast was performed in 35 women
using a prototype breast coil at 0.15 T. The distribution of fibroglandular
and fatty tissues was demonstrated sufficiently well to permit correlation
with the mammographic patterns of Wolfe, and it was possible to identify
1-cm cysts. The signal intensity of the cysts varied from low to high as
repetition time (TR) and echo time (TE) using the spin echo technique
(TR/TE) were prolonged from 250/30 to 1,000/120. In two women,
fibroadenomas were seen as low-intensity, smoothly marginated lesions
surrounded by fat. A range of in vivo observed T1 values is summarized for
normal and pathologic tissues. It is concluded that MRI of the female
breast, currently in the developmental phase, is feasible and further
evaluation is indicated.
