Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – common pitfalls: a pictorial representation

• 1. Movement artefact: an apparent enhancing lesion on the subtraction images must be confirmed on the pre-subtraction series.

• 2. Vessels: tortuous vessels can be misleading. Three-dimensional reconstruction is useful in differentiating vessels from focal nodules.

• 3. Lymph nodes: normal intramammary lymph nodes enhance and do not always have a typical 'C' shape. Review of the mammogram can be useful.

• 4. Lobular carcinomas: magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is particularly useful in diagnosing EXTENT of this difficult tumour subgroup. The enhancement profile, however, is often benign with slow and modest uptake. It is particularly important to review the MRI in conjunction with the triple assessment.