Accelerated Breast MRI Method Reduces Scan Time Without Losing Accuracy

A new study reveals that an accelerated breast MRI protocol can reduce scan times by up to 80% without compromising diagnostic accuracy. This imaging method is particularly valuable for women with dense breast tissue, who are at increased risk of breast cancer and for whom mammograms may fail to detect abnormalities.

Despite its effectiveness, breast MRI has not been widely adopted in screening programs due to cost and capacity limitations, according to experts cited in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). However, promising data from Dutch researchers suggest that this may soon change. Their findings indicate that abbreviated breast MRI, when used for initial screening, achieves “high diagnostic accuracy” comparable to full-length scans, all while significantly shortening exam times.

“Reducing the examination time and noise levels potentially improves patient experience,” study author Wouter B. Veldhuis, MD, PhD, a radiologist and associate professor with the University Medical Center Utrecht in the Netherlands, said in a May 20 announcement from the Radiological Society of North America. “Moreover, shorter reading and scan times may allow implementation of MRI in national screening programs, making it available for all women with extremely dense breasts.”

This secondary analysis utilized data from the Netherlands’ Dense Tissue and Early Breast Neoplasm Screening (DENSE) trial. The experiment examined different MRI sequences, assessing the minimal protocol needed to maintain accuracy in detecting cancer. 

Seven expert radiologists analyzed the same set of 518 MRIs with four different sequences added incrementally, resulting in a total of over 2,000 reads. Conventional, full-protocol breast MRI can take an average of up to 35 minutes to complete, while the fast version is done in as few as 10 minutes. Researchers found the abbreviated protocol produced comparable sensitivity and specificity, despite scan times up to 80% shorter and pooled reading times nearly 50% quicker (49.7 vs. 96.4 seconds). 

Valdhuis noted, "The shortest abbreviated protocol demonstrated good performance, comparable to that of the full multiparametric protocol, while being up to four times faster to acquire and up to two times faster to read."

Experts believe this new approach could result in more women being screened with MRI in a shorter timeframe, making the modality more accessible and comfortable for patients. Authors cautioned that additional trials are needed to confirm the results and validate the performance of the shortest protocol in real-world settings.

“The core result of the study … carries substantial impact if reproduced by other studies,” Drs. Masako Kataoka and Maya Honda, with Kyoto University Hospital in Japan, wrote in a corresponding editorial. “From the perspective of a patient, the benefits of a shorter examination time are improved willingness to participate in the examination and better images with less discomfort. A combination of improvement in scanning workflow (needle placement, positioning, and scanning) along with the abbreviated MRI, makes this approach a feasible option for patients with extremely dense breasts needing supplemental screening.