According to the American Cancer Society, women at high risk for breast cancer should have an annual magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan in addition to a standard mammogram. Trident Medical Center provides the most precise screening possible with advanced new technology.
 While a mammogram will find many abnormalities, it does not always detect abnormalities if the tissue is very dense. One of the newest advancements in detecting early signs of breast cancer is the Sentinelle Vanguard Breast MR Auxiliary Table®, which is designed to be utilized with the GE® MRI. Trident Medical Center acquired the table in October of 2008, becoming the second healthcare facility in the state to have this innovative technology.
“The Sentinelle Table is a useful tool in conjunction with MRI,” says Jennifer Cranny, M.D., medical director of the Trident Breast Care Center. “MRI is a highly advanced diagnostic tool that can show the earliest signs of cancer.”
The Sentinelle Table has an eight-channel system that enables better visualization of the breast and provides high-resolution images.
“As part of preventive care, patients should not bypass having a mammogram,” says Beth Newton, MRI supervisor at Trident Medical Center. “But if someone has a high risk of breast cancer or is currently undergoing cancer treatment, this table will help capture the most phenomenal pictures in the least invasive manner.”
During the MRI, patients lie flat on their abdomens, and their breasts are positioned into cup-shaped sections of the table for the scan. The support plate for the sternum enables imaging for lesions that are difficult to detect when located close to the breastbone. Contrast dye is given intravenously for the imaging process. This fluid highlights lesions and other hidden masses that might not have been visible with mammogram technology.
The design of the table ensures a comfortable process for patients of all sizes. Patients enter the MRI machine feet-first, a position easier for those patients who have reported feeling slightly claustrophobic with other equipment. The table is detachable, so the entire scanning process functions more efficiently and requires less waiting time to begin setup.
Technologists and radiologists at Trident Medical Center make every effort to keep patients relaxed by providing cushions on the table and playing music. Listening to music helps to alleviate the stress of remaining perfectly still for the 30-minute duration of the scan.
 According to the American Cancer Society, women at high risk for breast cancer should begin getting MRIs and mammograms at age 30, unless otherwise recommended by a physician.  The American Cancer Society’s journal CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, recommends MRI screening in addition to mammograms for women who meet at least one of the following conditions:
?    They have BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation
?    They have a first-degree relative (parent, sibling, child) with a  BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, even if they have yet to be tested themselves
?    Their lifetime risk of breast cancer has been scored at 20-25 percent or greater, based on one of several accepted risk assessment tools that look at family history and other factors
?    They had radiation to the chest between the ages of 10 and 30
?    They have Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Cowden syndrome or Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome, or may have one of these syndromes based on a history in a first-degree relative.
MRI is not recommended for women at average risk, as the MRI can lead to more false-positives than mammography, according to Christy Russell, M.D. chair of the American Cancer Society’s Breast Cancer Advisory Group and can cause avoidable biopsies, fear, anxiety and adverse health effects.