MRI
Does DCIS show up on a MRI scan?
Forum Discussion
Hi Lisa Janelle. Hi. Im in the Qld Public system. i also had dcis, detected on mammo as 2 small areas of calcification back in January this year. This is a long post, but as you asked about QLD, DCIS, Mastectomy, recon, implants, drains, Im not saying my experience is the same, but I may be able to answer some of your questions
I had 2 core biopsies and both showed high grade DCIS. They were talking about lumpectomy and rads for me.
My brother in law who is a gp in Sydney recomended I ask the surgeon for MRI before the surgery. They dont usually do it as it is expensive (go figure) but for some reason they did an MRI on me, covered by medicare.
I had already done all the preop and it was 2 days before lumpectomy when results came in. It showed 9cm mass in the biopsy proven area. I had no lump, no sign at all.The mass could not be seen on mammo or UltraSound. Immediately they cancelled my lumpectomy at Nambour and referred me to RBWH for treatment. I went back to the start at the new hospital so time from diagnosis to surgery was almost 3 months. I also received the best and most compassionate of care in Public system at RBWH.
They said mastectomy was my only option. Like you I struggled to believe it. I got a copy of the MRI disc and had it read again by 3 radiology specialists. I wondered could it be a mistake, was I going to lose my breast for nothing. I had read that MRI can give false results. What if I had the mastectomy and then found out I hadnt really needed it. Why was I getting a mastectomy when I didnt really even have cancer only DCIS. It seemed so radical. I was still asking could it be a mistake on the table just before the op at the end of March.
I asked for immediate reconstruction. It isnt really immediate as it is still a fairly long process. I had to sort of apply for it, because it is a more complicated operation than a simple mastectomy .
You had to be a non smoker, have a healthy BMI, not have diabetes or some other health conditions. You also had to have a fairly low risk of needing rads, Because rads can damage the skin and make the recon process more complicated. If you are eligible for the immediate recon and all goes to plan, you wont have the long waiting times because the process is started during the mastectomy itself. Some breast surgeons do both the mastectomy and the recon, but I asked for plastic surgeon, thinking they would have more advanced skills in the stitching. The breast surgeon and plastic surgeon were in the op together. Breast surgeon removed all breast tissue. In my case, nipple as well. They do sentinel node biopsy to check if any cancer cells in lymph nodes, while you are asleep, during mastectomy.
RBWH has a way of immediate testing during the op. As I understand, If they had found cancer cells in sentinel nodes they would have taken another layer of nodes to determine how far the cancer had got and so on. Lucky for me the sentinel nodes were clear, so the plastic surgeon took over. I think that if they had found extensive spread and breast surgeon said rads would be needed then the Plastic surgeon would maybe not have proceeded.??????
They placed an expander which was then slowly inflated over the next few months.You wake up with the expander slightly inflated. They then do the biopsy of the breast tissue. My DCIS was actually 7 cm so the MRI had overestimated, but the mastectomy was definitely necessary. All my cancer was gone, thank goodness, so I was a plastic surgery patient then, in the plastic ward.
I had 2 drains in for 10 days it wasnt particularly painful, and there were no complications. They kept me in the hospital the whole ten days maybe because I live 2 hours away, maybe because the plastic surgeons have different way of doing things. Maybe because the aeroform co2 expander is a newish technology??? Im not sure but he wouldnt let me go home till the drains came out. I felt good but very tired and was able to walk around outside and around the streets.Recovery was 6 weeks.
I had an aeroform co2 expander, which I inflated at home, myself with a remote control.
Then 3 months later this JUly, i had a silicon implant. This was a simple op, no drains, home the next day. 6 weeks recovery again. I have decided not to have my remaining breast lifted or changed, but I could have if I wanted to, covered by the public system. I am on the list for a nipple but I'm rethinking it now and might just get the 3D tatoo, which is also covered by medicare. What started as a horrific and terrifying nightmare, I have now got used to. I look good and feel comfy in my swimmers, which was super important to me, I can do everything I always did except for some small movement problems with my shoulder. My implant is quite big and can be slightly uncomfortable at times. It also feels cold and a bit numb. I loved my old figure but Im still the same person and feeling very happy and bright about the new Year. Im feeling very grateful to be healthy. I hope it all goes well for you. The scariest part really is the unknown and the waiting. I hope you get the answers soon. Hugs Vallerina xx
I had 2 core biopsies and both showed high grade DCIS. They were talking about lumpectomy and rads for me.
My brother in law who is a gp in Sydney recomended I ask the surgeon for MRI before the surgery. They dont usually do it as it is expensive (go figure) but for some reason they did an MRI on me, covered by medicare.
I had already done all the preop and it was 2 days before lumpectomy when results came in. It showed 9cm mass in the biopsy proven area. I had no lump, no sign at all.The mass could not be seen on mammo or UltraSound. Immediately they cancelled my lumpectomy at Nambour and referred me to RBWH for treatment. I went back to the start at the new hospital so time from diagnosis to surgery was almost 3 months. I also received the best and most compassionate of care in Public system at RBWH.
They said mastectomy was my only option. Like you I struggled to believe it. I got a copy of the MRI disc and had it read again by 3 radiology specialists. I wondered could it be a mistake, was I going to lose my breast for nothing. I had read that MRI can give false results. What if I had the mastectomy and then found out I hadnt really needed it. Why was I getting a mastectomy when I didnt really even have cancer only DCIS. It seemed so radical. I was still asking could it be a mistake on the table just before the op at the end of March.
I asked for immediate reconstruction. It isnt really immediate as it is still a fairly long process. I had to sort of apply for it, because it is a more complicated operation than a simple mastectomy .
You had to be a non smoker, have a healthy BMI, not have diabetes or some other health conditions. You also had to have a fairly low risk of needing rads, Because rads can damage the skin and make the recon process more complicated. If you are eligible for the immediate recon and all goes to plan, you wont have the long waiting times because the process is started during the mastectomy itself. Some breast surgeons do both the mastectomy and the recon, but I asked for plastic surgeon, thinking they would have more advanced skills in the stitching. The breast surgeon and plastic surgeon were in the op together. Breast surgeon removed all breast tissue. In my case, nipple as well. They do sentinel node biopsy to check if any cancer cells in lymph nodes, while you are asleep, during mastectomy.
RBWH has a way of immediate testing during the op. As I understand, If they had found cancer cells in sentinel nodes they would have taken another layer of nodes to determine how far the cancer had got and so on. Lucky for me the sentinel nodes were clear, so the plastic surgeon took over. I think that if they had found extensive spread and breast surgeon said rads would be needed then the Plastic surgeon would maybe not have proceeded.??????
They placed an expander which was then slowly inflated over the next few months.You wake up with the expander slightly inflated. They then do the biopsy of the breast tissue. My DCIS was actually 7 cm so the MRI had overestimated, but the mastectomy was definitely necessary. All my cancer was gone, thank goodness, so I was a plastic surgery patient then, in the plastic ward.
I had 2 drains in for 10 days it wasnt particularly painful, and there were no complications. They kept me in the hospital the whole ten days maybe because I live 2 hours away, maybe because the plastic surgeons have different way of doing things. Maybe because the aeroform co2 expander is a newish technology??? Im not sure but he wouldnt let me go home till the drains came out. I felt good but very tired and was able to walk around outside and around the streets.Recovery was 6 weeks.
I had an aeroform co2 expander, which I inflated at home, myself with a remote control.
Then 3 months later this JUly, i had a silicon implant. This was a simple op, no drains, home the next day. 6 weeks recovery again. I have decided not to have my remaining breast lifted or changed, but I could have if I wanted to, covered by the public system. I am on the list for a nipple but I'm rethinking it now and might just get the 3D tatoo, which is also covered by medicare. What started as a horrific and terrifying nightmare, I have now got used to. I look good and feel comfy in my swimmers, which was super important to me, I can do everything I always did except for some small movement problems with my shoulder. My implant is quite big and can be slightly uncomfortable at times. It also feels cold and a bit numb. I loved my old figure but Im still the same person and feeling very happy and bright about the new Year. Im feeling very grateful to be healthy. I hope it all goes well for you. The scariest part really is the unknown and the waiting. I hope you get the answers soon. Hugs Vallerina xx