RESUMEN
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effective diagnostic method for the patients with polyacrylamide hydrogen injection for augmentation mammaplasty.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>MRI scanning (layer thickness 1mm, t2 _ ps3d_ cor alignment) was performed on 23 patients with polyacrylamide hydrogen injection for augmentation mammaplasty. The data were imported into computer and processed. 3D reconstruction and analysis modules were run subsequently to do the volume reconstruction and surface reconstruction to obtain stereoscopic images of the gel and adjacent structures in virtual reality, and to calculate the volume of the hydrogel.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Among the 23 patients (46 breasts), the injected hydrogel with integrity capsule existed in retromammary space with no malposition in 5 cases (10 breasts). The capsule was not integrally formed and hydrogel was separately distributed with irregular edge in 6 patients (12 breasts). The pectoris major space, subcutaneous and gland invasion was found in 11 patients (22 breasts). Small amount of hydrogel sparsely distributed in mammary gland and degenerative muscular tissue in 1 patient (2 breasts) who had received extracting surgery before. The volume of hydrogel ranged from 220.309 ml to 372.371 ml (mean: 306.328 ml) in 22 untreated patients (44 breasts).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The volume and distribution of hydrogel can be known clearly by 3D MRI reconstruction technique. This feasible technique is helpful in removing the hydrogel completely.</p>