Patients with canceled breast biopsies due to nonvisualization require follow-up MRI

A study recently published in Academic Radiology has found that follow-up imaging after a canceled MRI-guided breast biopsy due to nonvisualization may accurately indicate completely resolved breast lesions. But because some lesions do persist after the initial biopsy, researchers recommend six-month follow-up MRI exams for patients.

“Because of the possibility that a malignancy may have been missed at the time of cancellation, a short-term interval follow-up examination remains a prudent course of action,” wrote lead author Samantha Heller, MD, PhD, a radiologist at the Laura Perlmutter Center for Biomedical Imaging at the New York University School of Medicine, and colleagues. “In addition, lesions that have completely resolved or are smaller on follow-up MRI imaging (at least six months post MRI-biopsy cancellation) do not need further follow-up.” 

According to study methods, Heller and colleagues studied the medical records of 54 biopsies from 2007 to 2014 canceled due to nonvisualization. More than 74 percent of patients had lesions completely resolved by the time of their follow up imaging exam, but the remaining 26 percent had lesions that persisted after follow-up MRI. Half of those patients then underwent a biopsy, according to study methods.  

"One case yielded ductal carcinoma in situ with microinvasion at the six-month follow-up," Heller et al. noted. "No patient demographics or lesion features were associated with lesion resolution or lesion biopsy." 

Overall, despite study findings regarding the great amount of breast lesion resolve, researchers recommended that patients do undergo follow-up examinations to prevent any missed malignancies.