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Rather than a clear rupture, a "perspiring" implant, where gel slowly leaks through the porous membrane, is the most common problem that surgeons report, according to Dr. Corinne Balleyguier, head of breast imaging in the department of radiology at the Institut Gustave Roussy (IGR)in Villejuif, France.
"Perspiration can't be confirmed or assessed by ultrasound, but it accounts for 60% of problems related to defective implants," she commented. "Ultrasound may depict a slight fluid slick around the implant, but this might be normal breast fluid or perspiring gel."In research involving 270 implants removed at the IGR, MRI with dedicated silicone sequences was helpful in diagnosis of perspiration. In the 93 perspiring implants, 43 out of 49 ultrasound exams were normal, with six false positives for rupture. Sixteen MRI examinations were also performed on the 93 perspiring implants. Seven out of nine MRI exams showed perspiration because MRIs were acquired with silicone sequences; five out of seven MRI exams were normal, but these MRIs were acquired without silicone sequences.
