Abstract #3456

Breast Tissue Expanders with Magnetic Ports: In Vitro Testing and Clinical Experience at 1.5-Tesla

Nanda Deepa Thimmappa¹, Frank G. Shellock², Cristen Giangarra³, Christina Y. Ahn⁴, Martin R. Prince¹, Joshua L. Levine⁵

¹Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States; ²Radiology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States; ³University College of Washington University, Saint Louis, MO, United States; ⁴NYC Breast Reconstruction Center, New York, NY, United States; ⁵Plastic Surgery, The Center for the Advancement of Breast Reconstruction at NYEE, New York, NY, United States

MR safety of tissue expanders with magnetic ports implanted following mastectomy for breast cancer is controversial yet these patients often require MRI/MRA examinations while the expander is present. Based on in vitro and clinical testing in 16 patients, we found these implants create substantial artifact but no migration, local heating or other damage.