Objective To summarize the effect of E-cad expression on MRI imaging characteristics of breast cancer patients. Methods A total of 86 cases of patients with breast cancer who were treated in our hospital between March 2012 and December 2015 were selected as subjects. All patients were examined by MRI and immunohistochemistry. The differences of MRI findings between positive and negative expression of E-cad were analyzed. Results Among the findings of 60 patients with positive expression of E-cad, 16 cases (26.7%) showed quasi-circular shape, 60% (36/60) showed smooth or burr edges, 36.7% (22/60) showed homogeneous and ring enhancement and 48.3% (29/60) showed TIC I and II type curve. The proportions were higher than those in patients with negative expression of E-cad (P<0.05). Conclusion The findings of patients with breast cancer and positive expression of E-cad are quasi-circular, with smooth or burr edges, homogeneous or ring enhancement. The major curves are type I and II. The imaging findings are significantly different from those of patients with negative expression of E-cad.