Why implants are checked
Breast implants are medical devices, not lifetime devices. A silicone gel implant can develop a tear in its shell without any obvious change, which is often called a silent rupture. Because you may feel nothing, imaging is the only reliable way to know the implant is intact.
Screening does not prevent a rupture. It lets a problem be found early, so that a decision about removal or exchange can be made calmly rather than after the breast has changed.
What the current recommendations say
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration advises that people with silicone gel-filled implants have imaging at about five to six years after the first implant surgery, and then every two to three years. Either ultrasound or MRI can be used. Saline implants deflate visibly when they leak, so they do not need the same imaging schedule.
Guidance differs between manufacturers, regulators and countries, and it is updated from time to time. Dr. Jaberi will tell you which schedule fits your implant type and history. If you are unsure what implants you have, bring any implant card or operative record. Not having the paperwork does not stop us from helping you.
- Silicone gel implants: imaging at about 5 to 6 years, then every 2 to 3 years
- Saline implants: assessed by examination, since a leak is usually obvious
- Any new firmness, pain, swelling, change in shape or lump: assess sooner, whatever the schedule
Why ultrasound is easier than MRI
For most people, the practical difference is large. Ultrasound is done in the office, takes a short time, needs no contrast injection and involves no tube or closed space. You lie comfortably, and the result is discussed with you in the same visit. There is no waiting list for a scanner and no second appointment to hear the answer.
MRI can be a very good test, but it means booking time at an imaging centre, lying still inside a scanner for a longer period, and sometimes receiving contrast. Some people are uncomfortable in enclosed spaces, and some cannot have MRI for medical reasons. Waiting times and access differ across the region.
- Ultrasound: in the office, short, no contrast, no scanner tube, answer at the visit
- MRI: separate imaging appointment, longer, may need contrast, enclosed scanner
- Both are accepted ways of checking silicone implants
If ultrasound is not clear, we move to MRI
Ultrasound depends on the skill of the person performing it, and in some breasts the picture is harder to interpret, for example with scar tissue, a very firm capsule or certain implant positions. MRI is generally the more sensitive test for a silent rupture.
So the approach is simple and honest. We start with ultrasound because it is easier and answers the question for many people. If the images are unclear or something looks suspicious, we will recommend an MRI and explain why, rather than guessing.
Your surgeon moved away, retired or closed their practice
This happens often, and it leaves many people with implants that have not been checked in years. You are welcome to be seen at PEXY even if Dr. Jaberi did not place your implants. We can review what you know about your implants, examine you, perform the ultrasound and tell you plainly what we see.
If a problem is found, we will talk through the options, which may include watching, exchanging the implants, removing them, or addressing the capsule. There is no obligation to have surgery with us.
Fee
The screening ultrasound visit is charged at the standard consultation fee. There is no separate imaging fee.
What the visit looks like
You will be asked about your implants, symptoms and any previous surgery or imaging. Dr. Jaberi examines the breasts and scans each side with ultrasound. The findings and next steps are explained at the same visit, and a written summary can be shared with your family doctor.