DIFFERENTIATION OF BENIGN FROM MALIGNANT BREAST MASSES BY TIME-INTENSITY EVALUATION OF CONTRAST-ENHANCED MRI

Using gadolinium-DTPA enhanced MRI we analyzed the enhancement charact eristics of palpable breast masses in 23 patients - 10 cancers and 13 benign lesions. The most specific finding for separating benign from m alignant lesions was a ratio of maximum intensity change divided by th e time interval during which this first occurred. Designated ranges of this ratio were specific for benign disease and sensitive for maligna ncy in this small patient group. Three of eight fibroadenomas exhibite d enhancement patterns indistinguishable from cancer.