Preoperative breast MR Imaging in patients with primary breast cancer has the potential to decrease the rate of repeated surgeries

In our study cohort the mastectomy rate did not differ (39 % vs. 39 %) between patients with and without preoperative breast MRI, although tumor stages and focality were higher in the group of patients undergoing MRI. Breast MRI was beneficial for 20.3 % (127/626) of the patients as additional foci of cancer in the same or contralateral breast were diagnosed (n=122) or MRI could prove a lesser extent of carcinoma (n=5). Patients receiving preoperative MRI had a lower chance of repeated surgery (p=0.007). Preoperative breast MRI did not delay surgery (20.3 days vs. 19.8 days, p=0.7).