Southwest's Breast Care Center is the only facility in southwest Washington that has a dedicated breast MRI with the ability to provide MRI guided breast biopsies. What that means for the women of Clark County is easy access to the ultimate imaging tool for delicate breast procedures.

'Mammograms and ultrasounds are excellent for detecting masses, while the MRI provides a superior level of imaging for visually challenging cases,' explains Kiren Jain, MD, medical director of the Breast Care Center and breast imaging specialist.

Southwest is currently the only southwest Washington facility to use the MRI for biopsies and wire localization (a pre-surgery procedure that involves placing a wire in the breast to mark the exact location for an excisional biopsy). The MRI images allow the surgeon to see the area in question very clearly and take only the problem tissue, leaving the rest of the breast intact for a good cosmetic effect for the patient.

Breast MRI is most often used as a screening tool in women with dense breasts who have an increased risk of breast cancer, for staging in women with newly diagnosed breast cancer, and even for diagnosing ruptured silicone implants.

'A lot of facilities have MRI machines and can do breast imaging, but few are doing MRI-guided breast biopsies and wire localizations,' says Sandra Kienitz, nurse navigator for Southwest's Breast Care Center. 'It's another example of how facilities like Southwest that specialize in women's health issues are committed to providing an exceptional level of care.'