Preoperative breast MRI can improve surgical planning for breast cancer patients by detecting additional lesions and guiding biopsies. Yet, a recent study reveals persistent disparities in who receives this critical imaging. Black women, older patients, and those with Medicaid or Medicare are significantly less likely to undergo preoperative MRI compared to white women and those with commercial insurance.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine analyzed data from 1,792 patients diagnosed with breast cancer between 2016 and 2022. They found that only 44% of Black women received a preoperative MRI, compared to 55% of white women and 62% of women of other races. Patients over 70 were the least likely to receive the exam, with just 25% undergoing MRI.
Insurance status also played a role. While 65% of patients with commercial insurance received the scan, only 34% of those on Medicare did. The study noted that women without full-time employment were also less likely to access this imaging tool.
Despite its moderate specificity, preoperative MRI helped identify additional suspicious lesions in over half of the patients who received it. Nearly 70% of those underwent image-guided biopsies. The scan also reduced the need for reexcision surgeries, suggesting better surgical outcomes.
“These findings suggest that preoperative MRI may improve surgical planning and patient outcomes,” the authors wrote, “but also reflect disparities that must be addressed to ensure equitable access to breast cancer care.”
See: “Preop breast MRI improves surgical planning, but use disparities remain” (October 10, 2025)
