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CT scan and MRI inconclusive: Perirectal mass?

Colorectal Cancer | Last Active: Aug 9 10:04am | Replies (17)

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@rjjacobsen

Not a doctor, so take with a grain or shaker full of salt.

Extremely simplified, it means you have some unusual observations found on the scan that need more expertise than he has, thus the referral to a GI doctor. From here, the GI doctor will likely do some sort of lighted visual examination of the area - possibly a colonoscopy, but more likely a sigmoidoscopy (a procedure to examine the insides of the rectum and the anus) or an anoscopy (a visual inspection of the anus) - depending of location and size of the unusual areas. In all these procedures, they may take a sample or several of the unusual tissue and have it analyzed for cancer (biopsy).

BTW - I'm sorry to bring up the c-word because the first reaction is fear.
It's too early to worry/panic about whether this is cancer. Other (non-cancerous) things can cause this, so be patient - wait for the GI doc and test results.

Hope this helps

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Replies to "Not a doctor, so take with a grain or shaker full of salt. Extremely simplified, it..."

rjjacobsen,

Thank you! I sit at a desk all day and have too much time on my hands so i get on the internet and do research. It was also found that I have a nodule on my adrenal gland, so I need to see and endocrinologist in July as well. I lost my dad to pancreatic cancer and my grandmother to breast cancer. So I let things get to my head. I do appreciate your words of encouragement!