Emerging role of MRI in breast cancer detection - complement to or replacement for film-screen mammography?

The superior ability of magnetic resonance imaging to differentiate between soft tissues positions it favourably as a replacement for film-screen mammography, which is currently the 'gold standard' for diagnostic imaging of the breast. To date, certain limitations of magnetic resonance imaging have prevented this. Once these limitations are overcome, however, the situation may quickly change. This paper highlights recent developments that suggest magnetic resonance imaging will one day replace film-screen mammography as the modality of choice for breast cancer detection and management. It provides a broad overview of some of the features of magnetic resonance imaging and discusses some of the barriers that, to date, have prevented its widespread use for breast imaging. (author)