MRI Recommendation
After Silicone Gel Breast Augmentation
1. The FDA has recommended an MRI of the breasts at 3 years postop and every 2 years after.
2. Most silicone gel implant ruptures are silent. In other words, there are not symptoms.
3. MRI is not 100% accurate. Some intact implants will appear ruptured, and some ruptured implants will appear intact. This is not a fault of the radiologist or the MRI, this is the limitation of the technology.
4. Over many years of research, there is no indication that a ruptured implant will cause any disease.
5. If an MRI indicates a ruptured implant but at surgery is found to be intact, for Allergan implants, the manufacturer's full warrant still applies. For Mentor implants, they will provide the implant replacement but no financial assistance.
6. You must understand that because of the limits of MRI technology, you may have surgery for an implant that is found to be intact, but you will still have undergone the possible risks and complications of surgery.
7. In most countries outside of the United States, the equivalent of the FDA does not recommend routine follow-up MRI.
8. The cost of the MRI is your responsibility. Your insurance company and the implant manufacturer will not pay for this.
The decision to proceed with a postoperative MRI must be made by you, the patient, based on the above information and the information provided to you prior to surgery in the manufacturer/ FDA brochure.
Prepared by: Thomas Wiener, MD
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