(1) Philips Achieva 1.5 tesla high field MRI scanner located at the Breast & MRI Center

A quality MRI study is dependent on your ability to remain still for up to 45 minutes. If you are taking pain medication, please continue taking it as prescribed. If you feel you may be in too much pain to remain still, please consult your referring physician who may prescribe a pain medication for your study. Patients who are claustrophobic should inform the scheduling department at the time their exam is scheduled.

• Please arrive 30 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment time.
• Arrange for a family member or friend to accompany you. We require you to have a driver before being discharged.
• For your comfort, do not eat a heavy meal within two to three hours of your appointment, because you will be lying on your stomach for the duration of the exam.
• If you are taking hormone replacement therapy medication, please dicuss discontinuing use of medication with your doctor prior to your MRI study.
• Patients who have an implanted medical device must provide the manufacturer name, model number and device name to the technologist.
• Jewelry, including piercings, must be removed prior to your study. Patients are encouraged to leave all jewelry at home.
• Please discuss discontinuing use of any type of anti-coagulant or blood thinning agent with your doctor two to three days prior to your study.

For your safety, please notify our scheduling department and technologists:

• If you have a pacemaker or implantable defibrillator
• If you have aneurysm clips
• If you have other implantable devices such as a heart valve, middle ear prosthesis or implanted neurostimulator
• If you know or suspect that you have metal fragments in or around your eye

During your visit, a patient advocate will show you to the changing area and can assist you if necessary. Our changing rooms offer secure lockers, but we encourage patients to leave valuables at home. Once changed, our patient advocate will guide you to the sub-waiting area where you will find a selection of magazines and newspapers. A staff member will notify you when it is time for your MRI Scan and introduce you to the MRI technologist.

The technologist is specially trained and certified by the American Registry of Radiological Technologists to take care of you during your MRI scan. During an MRI guided breast biopsy, you will lie flat on your stomach for 30 to 40 minutes with your breasts resting inside a special device called a coil, which helps the scanner capture better images. Once you are comfortable, the technologist will start an IV to administer contrast agents and medication. The contrast agent is called gadolinium and helps the radiologist see certain tissue and blood vessels. Some patients describe a metallic taste or tingling sensation after the injection. This is normal and usually subsides quickly. Once your IV is ready, the technologist will move the table into the MRI.

After taking images of your breasts to determine the exact location of the area of interest, a radiologist will perform the biopsy. The biopsy begins by sterilizing your skin with antiseptic that will feel cool and wet. The radiologist will numb the area with a local anesthetic and then guide a small, thin hollow needle into the breast tissue to collect a tissue sample. Our nurse will be with you during the entire procedure.

At the end of the procedure, a small metal clip will be inserted as a landmark to help a surgeon find the biopsy location if the results are positive. You should not be able to feel the clip and it will not set off metal detectors. If your biopsy is benign, the clip will remain in the breast and does not need to be removed.

• A small percentage of patients with tattooed eyeliner experience temporary skin irritation in association with the MRI.
• A sub-specialized radiologist will interpret your images and prepare a diagnostic report for your physician.
• Results are usually made available to your physician in two or three days. If outside comparison studies are required, it may take longer for your results to be made available.
• Your physician will determine how the radiologists' report can be used to develop a treatment plan and speak with you about your results.

An MRI-guided breast biopsy is used to help guide the radiologist's instruments to the suspicious area to remove cells. It is typically used when the area in question is too small to be felt.