The best time for a breast MRI is between day 6 and 12 of the menstrual cycle (day 1 is the day your period starts) and 4 to 6 weeks after stopping any hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
On the day of the appointment, please bring any mammogram, breast ultrasound and biopsy results with you to the radiology department. You may be asked to wear a disposable gown and surgical bra during the exam, and tape small oil filled capsules over your nipples as an aid for localisation.
The radiology staff will take a brief medical history and should know if you have any serious health problems or if you have recently had surgery. If there is a history of kidney disease, it may be necessary to perform a blood test to determine whether the kidneys are functioning adequately. Women should always inform the staff if there is any possibility that they are pregnant.
If you have claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces) or anxiety, you may want to ask your doctor for a prescription for a mild sedative prior to the scheduled examination, however it is important that you remain awake and co-operative during the MRI.
Patients with the following implants should not enter the MRI scanning area unless explicitly instructed to do so by a radiologist or technologist who is aware of the presence of any of the following: internal cardiac defibrillator or pacemaker, cochlear (ear) implant, some types of clips used on brain aneurysms, metal coils placed within blood vessels, artificial heart valves, implanted drug infusion ports or nerve stimulators and artificial limbs or metallic joint prostheses.