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The American Cancer Society last month announced that women at high risk for breast cancer—those with a strong family history of the disease or with a genetic mutation that predisposes them to breast cancer—should supplement regular mammography with other screening methods, such as an MRI.
BWH’s Lee Bell Center for Breast Imaging installed an MRI last month precisely for women at high risk and to identify certain types of cancer that may be undetectable by mammogram. The magnet’s 3-Tesla (3T) field strength—the strongest used in clinical practice—generates images in which very tiny tumors can be spotted.
“The 3T is faster, allowing us to serve more patients, and it also may allow us to add other sequences to the exam, which would improve specificity,” Robyn Birdwell, MD, director of Breast Imaging at BWH, said. “It’s very exciting.”
Birdwell emphasized that not all women need MRI scans. “MRI is a great tool and appropriate for some women, but for women without breast concerns 40 and older, mammography is the best known screening imaging test,” she said.
The addition of the MRI completes the Lee Bell Center for Breast Imaging, which now offers the entire array of breast imaging services from mammography to sophisticated diagnostic and interventional procedures. BWH is one of the only academic medical centers in the country to offer this care under one center.
“There is continuity of care in the technologist, biopsy coordinator and nurse, leading to more cohesive care for our patients,” Birdwell said.
The center was constructed with a $1 million donation from Lee Bell and her husband, former BWH Board Chairman Michael Bell.
“The Bell Center truly demonstrates our institutional commitment to women’s health,” said Steven Seltzer, MD, FACR, chair of Radiology.