Breast diagnostics and Macrolane
This section provides some important information for you as a Radiologist, including MRI images of Macrolane as well as mammograms and ultrasounds of patients treated with Macrolane.
What is Macrolane?
Macrolane VRF20 & VRF30 are NASHATM gels and both contain approximately 2% stabilized hyaluronic acid and 98% water. Macrolane is biodegradable and the rate of degradation of Macrolane varies between individuals. Clinical studies show that the complete degradation process takes 12 to 24 months, or in some cases longer.
How is Macrolane used?
Macrolane is an injectable viscoelastic gel, and similar gels have been used for many years as fillers to treat wrinkles. As Macrolane is implanted in the breast by injection, both large coherent deposits and sometimes small deposits of gel can be present. Macrolane is usually injected between the mammary gland and the pectoral muscle. In some patients the product may also be placed underneath the pectoral muscle.
Radiology and Macrolane
Macrolane is detectable in mammography, ultrasound examination and MRI examination of the breasts.
Mammograms
A clinical study indicates that the presence of Macrolane may significantly reduce the diagnostic quality of mammograms, since Macrolane will appear as a gray/white shadow in the mammogram. In this case ultrasound can be used as a complementary examination.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound can be used to diagnose lumps in the breast after a Macrolane treatment. Ultrasound may also be a complement to mammography at breast screening and diagnosing. Some radiologists explain that Macrolane has a typical appearance in an ultrasound, similar to that of water, but with a snowstorm appearance.
Pre-treatment examinations
It is a recommendation that pre-treatment examinations of the breasts are performed prior to a Macrolane treatment. Some patients may therefore have baseline radiology examination that might assist in interpretation of post-Macrolane treatment examinations1.
Clinical studies
Clinical studies are currently ongoing to increase the knowledge about radiological examinations of the breast after a Macrolane treatment.
1 Instruction for use (Art. No. 90-18414-02)