MRI of breast

Patb · 06-01-2007, 05:55 PM

Hi all

Wishing everyone a good weekend. I am just about one year from my
diagnosis and surgery. I asked the surgeon about an MRI of the breast and
he said your mammo was fine but if you want one, ok, doesn't hurt to check.
How many of you have had MRI's done and how did it go. I understand there
is no open MRI of the breast and it has to be done in the tube since it is so
new and there are false positives but it does catch some things a mammo
would not. I hate enclosed places but am seeking your opinion and thoughts
on the MRI. Thanks
Patb

Carol Carlson · 06-01-2007, 06:10 PM

patb,

I just had one today. The most difficult part was them finding a vien, otherwise, it's not that bad. They give you earphones for music that you enjoy, talk with you all the way thru I've had 3 in all and didn't find them that distressing though, if you're claustriphobic at all, your Dr. can give you something to relax.

They also give you a bulb that you can squeeze if you ned to get out. The techs were terrific and I'm glad I had it because my last mammo ( Feb) showed some calcification areas near the incisional site. Had a partial mastectomy in March of '04.
Good Luck
Carol
p.S. it IS noisy !!!

Peggy · 06-01-2007, 09:26 PM

I've had two MRI's to the breast since completing treatment. The first one was very uncomfortable (as in painful!) on the side where I had the mastectomy. My breast bone was resting on metal and since you can't move it hurt. The next time I asked for some padding. They put foam on the side with the mastectomy and it was much better!

So if you have had a mastectomy ask for padding!!! Because they haven't been doing in too long, they don't know how uncomfortable it can be. I continue to get "suspicious, but probably not cancer"...so I guess I'll be having these every six months for quite awhile.

Peggy

StephN · 06-01-2007, 09:48 PM

I am not sure if they still use the same equipment as I was put on, but that was over 6 years ago. I have not had breast MRI since.

But I was NOT in the tube, but lying flat on my stomach on a table that had holes for the breast to go into. It was noisy as the tubes are. I had one breast done one day and the second one another day.

This was as part of the early trial by Connie Lehman who seems to have almost pioneered this procedure in this country. They were studying how effective the new software would be. My med onc ordered this test for me as my pathology showed high grade and HER2+++. My insurance did not want to pay and it was kicked back and forth a couple of times till someone finally took care of it - and it was NOT me!

tousled1 · 06-02-2007, 02:31 AM

PatB,

When I was first diagnosed I had an MRI of my left breast done as the mammo showed an 7mm area of question. My MRI was like StephN's - I had to lay on the table that had a hole in it for the breast. The test itself is a breeze. Best of luck to you.

RobinP · 06-02-2007, 06:10 AM

I think that breast MRI are superior to mammograms. I especially like the way they avoid radiation exposure and I hope to get one at the end of the summer for screening this year.

AlaskaAngel · 06-02-2007, 06:53 AM

I've had 2 so far (5 years out) -- the first right at diagnosis because of a questionable area on the breastbone, and the last because nobody can figure out what is causing right-sided chest pain. Neither were uncomfortable.

A.A.