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Becky · 02-01-2007, 06:25 PM

Chelee

You have a good report there. You have low enhancement (a sign of benign disease) and a "wash in/wash out that is not rapid and is mixed. What does this really mean? When they do an MRI, they first do it and then give contrasting agent (a dye) and do it again. The dye helps define the picture but they also measure how "structures" take up the dye (wash in) and then release the dye (wash out). Cancer has a very high kinetic rate (washes in fast, washes out fast). This concept is kind of like how a PET scan works with cancer "lighting up" because it is more rapidly growing and "takes up" the radioactivated sugar solution faster than normal cells. Your "structures" took up the dye at a even rate and at a low rate. This MRI along with the mammo and ultrasound are very good results. However, you do have pain and need to get to the bottom of it.

Do you "rub" the nodes alot? Its easy to do when you feel something - always rubbing to see if it is getting smaller and going away. You can really irritate the natural drainage of it and it won't drain and will swell even more and get very, very painful. You may need an antibiotic, a pain pill and a total hands off approach for 3-4 weeks.

No touching it now!!

Love and hugs

02-01-2007, 06:25 PM	#3
Becky Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Stockton, NJ Posts: 4,179	Chelee You have a good report there. You have low enhancement (a sign of benign disease) and a "wash in/wash out that is not rapid and is mixed. What does this really mean? When they do an MRI, they first do it and then give contrasting agent (a dye) and do it again. The dye helps define the picture but they also measure how "structures" take up the dye (wash in) and then release the dye (wash out). Cancer has a very high kinetic rate (washes in fast, washes out fast). This concept is kind of like how a PET scan works with cancer "lighting up" because it is more rapidly growing and "takes up" the radioactivated sugar solution faster than normal cells. Your "structures" took up the dye at a even rate and at a low rate. This MRI along with the mammo and ultrasound are very good results. However, you do have pain and need to get to the bottom of it. Do you "rub" the nodes alot? Its easy to do when you feel something - always rubbing to see if it is getting smaller and going away. You can really irritate the natural drainage of it and it won't drain and will swell even more and get very, very painful. You may need an antibiotic, a pain pill and a total hands off approach for 3-4 weeks. No touching it now!! Love and hugs __________________ Kind regards Becky Found lump via BSE Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45 1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side) 2 micromets to sentinel node Stage 2A left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg lumpectomies 9/7/04 4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol Used Leukine instead of Neulasta 35 rads on right side only 4/05 started Tamoxifen Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations Oophorectomy 8/05 Started Arimidex 9/05 Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06 Arimidex Only Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia NED 18 years! Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"