The study was carried out to assess the role of magnetic resonance imaging in the inflammatory carcinoma of the breast. 15 female patients with a clinical diffuse inflammatory process in the breast underwent mammography, sonography and dynamic magnetic resonance imaging. All inflammatory carcinomas showed a patch enhancement pattern and in 7/10 there were some areas of focal enhancement. A patch enhancement was observed in 2/5 cases of mastitis while in the other 3 cases nodular focal areas with peripheral enhancement were seen. The dynamic curves were always of wash-out type. Maximum signal intensity value was over 70% in 3/5 cases of mastitis and in 9/10 cases of inflammatory carcinoma. Our results suggest that the role of magnetic resonance imaging in the characterization of inflammatory processes of the breast is nonspecific, while it may be useful in the follow-up of mastitis.