Rodeo MRI

I was wondering if anyone has ever had a Rodeo MRI. I just had my regular mammogram and ultrasound and they found "something" in my untreated breast but can only see if from on view and need more information. My onc. is recommending a Rodeo MRI and it seems to me if I'm going to have an MRI, I would just as soon have the best. From my reading it costs 15 times more than a mammogram and I'm sure my insurance will pay. So that's not an issue. Of course, this makes me nervous but, on the other hand, I've had these false indications before. So I'm hoping this will all end up okay. I just thought I'd find out if anyone here knows anything more about this particular kind or MRI.

Bonnie

I should have proof read my message better. It should be, see it from "one" view.

Bonnie

[StephN]

Hi Bonnie -
I had Rodeo MRIs on both breasts in November of 2000. This was a new kind of test (the software was being worked out) in those days. I had them on two separate days.
These are very detailed and show differences in tissue. My med onc ordered it as my primary tumor was small, but high grade and he wanted to see if anything else would show up before my surgery.
These MRI's are now in general use.
There is not any pushing or compressing of the breast - they just hang down through a hole in the bed and the image is done that way.
Best wishes for something benign to be the case this time!

Thanks, Steph, for the information. My onc has resisted MRI's in general because they pick up too many false positives and more biopsies are done than need to be done. However, this is a different situation where they see "something" but can't tell what it is and are recommending an MRI. At least she goes for the most detailed MRI she can.

Thanks again, Bonnie

[StephN]

Also wanted to add that some "somethings" are too small for normal biopsies and would have to be gotten at with an excisional biopsy, and this is a way that could avoid something invasive.
They do use a contrast with this MRI.

I had one just this past March on my affected breast as my oncologist thought he saw something on the mammogram that my surgeon didn't see and wanted it checked out prior to my starting chemo. It turned out to be nothing. I PREFER this MRI to a regular one as I wasn't chlostophobic. My coworker who had bc 2 yrs ago had one done last Thurs and the other one done last Sat and found out yesterday that everything was fine so STAY POSITIVE. I did fine w/ the dye contrast but, my friend had a reaction to it so the 2nd one they had to start and stop the dye rather than keep it flowing so this is something to keep in mind. Good luck.

Bonnie- this is kind of long, but it makes a point about breast MRI's.

I had a lumpectomy BEFORE I had this kind of Breast MRI. A "feeling of uncertainty" led me to join a multimodality radiology trial that used the breast MRI as one of the modality's. The MRI picked up two lesions that were not visible on Mammo or UltraSound. Of the 2 lesions found, one of them was larger than the tumor that was removed via lumpectomy. Subsequentally- I had re-excision of the breast (another lumpectomy). These 2 tumors had the potential of being my "recurrances" later on.

As for my untreated breast- The MRI also showed "something" that with follow-up with MRI 6 months later was completely gone. I was told to have the same machine do all my breast MRI's and have a very good radiologist that sees breasts all day do the interpretation.

The breast MRI is extremely helpful in dense breast tissue ( the reason for some of my cancer not being visible on mammo and UltraSound). The one I had (as most are) was computerized. Once the image is delivered to the digital computer, it mega-enlarges targeted areas and results in real good close-ups with no loss of resolution. You cannot do this with regular film. Imagine enlarging a photograph on a copier vs. a digital computer.

Although the trial I joined is over- I was told to always use mammo as a standard and keep doing the breast MRI every yr. And to wait 18 months after radiation is complete for MRI of affected breast (otherwise the scar tissue can mimic cancer).

The breast MRI is not bad at all. You lie on your tummy with arms extended and your breasts dangle in a cut-out hole on hte table. No squishing! Take your pillow- or a soft blanket. The worse part of the whole thing is the map of creases on your face from facing down! Good luck!

mts

Just want to thank everyone for responding. It gives me assurance to know others know about this type of mri and what I can expect.

Bonnie