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MRI is excellent for looking at scar tissue. MRI is able to distinguish between scar tissue and recurrent tumors. Therefore, breast MRI can evaluate a significant change in the lumpectomy site. It can determine how much cancer has spread beyond the surgical site after a breast biopsy or lumpectomy.
The MRI can find changes in the spine and in other tissues. It also can find problems such as infection or a tumor. MRI can look at the spine in the neck (cervical), upper back (thoracic), or lower back (lumbosacral). The entire spine can be seen in one series of pictures to find a tumor. More detailed pictures of one area, such as the lumbar spine, may be taken. MRI may be used to check low back problems.