Screening Magnetic Resonance Imaging Recommendations and Outcomes in Patients at High Risk for Breast Cancer

The purpose of this study was to determine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) screening recommendations and the subsequent outcomes in women with increased risk for breast cancer evaluated by oncology subspecialists at an academic center. Patients evaluated between 1/1/2007 and 3/1/2011 under diagnosis codes for family history of breast or ovarian cancer, genetic syndromes, lobular carcinoma insitu or atypical hyperplasia were included. Patients with a history of breast cancer were excluded. Retrospective review of prospectively acquired demographics, lifetime risk of breast cancer, and screening recommendations were obtained from the medical record. Retrospective review of the results of prospectively interpreted breast imaging examinations and image-guided biopsies were analyzed. 282 women were included. The majority of patients were premenopausal with a median age of 43. Most (69%) were referred due to a family history of breast or ovarian cancers. MRI was recommended for 84% of patients based on a documented lifetime risk >20%. Most women referred for MRI screening (88%) were compliant with this recommendation. A total of 299 breast MRI examinations were performed in 146 patients. Biopsy was performed for 32 (11%) exams and 10 cancers were detected for a positive predictive value (PPV) of 31% (based on biopsy performed) and an overall per exam cancer yield of 3.3%. Three cancers were detected in patients who did not undergo screening MRI. The 13 cancers were Stage 0-II; all patients were without evidence of disease with a median follow-up of 22months. In a cohort of women seen by breast subspecialty providers, screening breast MRI was recommended according to guidelines, and used primarily in premenopausal women with a family history or genetic predisposition to breast cancer. Adherence to MRI screening recommendations was high and cancer yield from breast MRI was similar to that in clinical trials.