Topic Highlight
Copyright ©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Oncol. May 10, 2014; 5(2): 61-70
Published online May 10, 2014. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v5.i2.61
Magnetic resonance imaging in breast cancer: A literature review and future perspectives
Gisela LG Menezes, Floor M Knuttel, Bertine L Stehouwer, Ruud M Pijnappel, Maurice AAJ van den Bosch
Gisela LG Menezes, Floor M Knuttel, Bertine L Stehouwer, Ruud M Pijnappel, Maurice AAJ van den Bosch, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Centre Utrecht, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands
Author contributions: Menezes GLG performed the research; Menezes GLG, Knuttel FM, Stehouwer BL, Pijnappel RM and van den Bosch MAAJ drafted the manuscript and provided the figures; all authors contributed to data analysis and interpretation.
Correspondence to: Gisela LG Menezes, MD, Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Centre Utrecht, E01.132, PO Box 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands. g.delimagomesdemenezes@umcutrecht.nl
Telephone: +31-88-7556687 Fax: +31-88-7553827
Received: January 21, 2014
Revised: March 18, 2014
Accepted: April 17, 2014
Published online: May 10, 2014
Processing time: 111 Days and 17.5 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer are essential for successful treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become increasingly important in the detection and delineation of breast cancer in daily practice. However, the clinical benefits of the use of pre-operative MRI in women with newly diagnosed breast cancer is still a matter of debate. We conducted a literature review on the value of breast MRI in diagnosing and staging breast cancer, as well as the future potentials of new MRI technologies, such as MR spectroscopy, diffusion-weighted imaging and higher field strength 7.0 tesla imaging.