DIAGNOSTIC-VALUE OF CLINICAL EXAMINATION AND VARIOUS IMAGING TECHNIQUES FOR BREAST IMPLANT RUPTURE AS DETERMINED IN 81 PATIENTS HAVING IMPLANT REMOVAL

To determine sensitivity and specificity of magnetic resonance imaging (MRT) and ultrasonography (US) in the detection of breast implant rup ture, and also to determine the relative merits of clinical examinatio n and mammography, we studied 81 patients (160 implants). All patients had implants removed, thus allowing confirmation of the presence or a bsence of rupture. Clinical examination positively identified only one patient with implant rupture, and mammography detected only two impla nt ruptures (both extracapsular). The sensitivity for US was 70% and s pecificity was 90%, while for MRI it was 75.6% and 94%, respectively. These differences between MRT and US were not statistically significan t. Combining the results of US and MRI did not seem to add to the diag nostic discrimination. The most cost-effective method of diagnosing im plant rupture was US in our study.