by Dr Evelyn Ho

The Diagnostic Radiology Department, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore organised the First Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) course in the region recently. There was overwhelming response from those involved in breast imaging and it was a truly multinational and attentive audience. This course was made possible with financial support from Guerbet. The Singapore Radiological Society, Singapore College of Radiologists and Asian Breast Diseases Association gave nominal support to the event.

At the helm of the organizing committee was Assoc Prof Dr Wang Shih-Chang of Diagnostic Radiology, National University of Singapore. 

Topics covered included the basics of MRI breast with the MR lexicon, indications and contraindications, topics related to acquisition of MR images of the breasts including pulse sequences and coils, parametric analysis and image post processing basics. The pathological and surgical correlation was well articulated by speakers experienced in this field. Finally new applications in breast MR such as its usefulness in breast implants and oil injections, cancer surveillance, high risk screening and MR guided biopsy as well as MR spectroscopy were covered. 

“Teaching Cases” sessions were held daily. A multidisciplinary team was on hand to review features and discuss the cases with audience participation.

The teaching faculty included radiologists, medical physicists, a surgeon, a pathologist and an MR radiographer. They were Prof Dr Humairah Samad Cheung (Malaysia), David Yeung, PhD (Hong Kong), Dr Gary MK Tse (Hong Kong) and from Singapore - Assoc Prof Shih-Chang Wang, Dr Llewellyn Shao-Jen Sim, Dr Bee-Kiang Chong and Dr Choon-Hua Thng, Dr Philip Iau, Borys Shuter PhD, and Christopher Au.
 

It was timely that such a course was organised as MRI breasts has begun to prove itself worthy of inclusion as a regular feature in the armamentarium of breast imaging tools. Breast MRI has been around for 15 years and is now recognized as a problem solving tool for diagnosis, a screening and surveillance tool for cancer detection in high risk women and a planning tool for image guided biopsy and surgery. Key concepts and practical issues were addressed to dispel negative notions about Breast MRI built up over the years. Even so, the difficulties and pitfalls were also highlighted – making this course remarkably useful to enhance the use of breast MRI in the participants’ practice or for those interested in integrating MRI into their practice.