Role of Imaging in Staging and Pre-surgical Localization in Breast Conserving Surgery

Demand for breast-conserving treatment needs pre-operative staging of disease. Breast MRI is superior to MG, US and
CBE in determining the size of the primary tumor as well as additional sites of otherwise occult malignancy. Delineation of the extent of disease is critical because staging will determine treatment choices and patient outcome. MRI in women with newly diagnosed breast cancer influences surgical management by more extensive primary tumor, such as the presence of DCIS around the mass or IDC.
The goal of BREAST “CANCER STAGING” is to show;

tumor extent, multifocality, multicentricity
local spread to the skin and nipple
nodal involvement
invasion deep to fascia
the detection of contralateral disease and evaluation of patients with positive surgical margins The breast cancer ‘core’ treatment team includes the surgeon, oncologist, pathologist and radiologist.

The role of radiologist changes during the diagnostic and treatment phases of disease. She or he diagnoses the disease, performs the biopsy, pre-surgical planning, pretreatment localization and evaluation of treatment and operative success.
This panel will be a sample multidisciplinary team discussion, between radiologists and an expert breast surgeon about real cases, in which the radiologist has had a major role in planning of the patient’s treatment.