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Indeterminate MRI Findings - Terrified.

Pancreatic Cancer | Last Active: Sep 25 4:33pm | Replies (33)

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@ncteacher

I wanted to mention two things. (FYI, I'm just a patient, not any sort of medical professional.) First, I completely understand your panic at the MRI report, but hang in there--you don't have anything definitive yet. I noticed that the radiologist who wrote the report listed three possibilities for the finding on the image and didn't emphasize one over the others. I was diagnosed 17 months ago, and I've had a bunch of CT scans--8, 10? I can't remember. Anyway, every radiology report is written differently because they've all been written by different MDs. Each person emphasizes different things and interprets differently. Understandable (they're different MDs) and annoying (what the heck?!). My oncologist looks at the report, but reads the CT scans himself because he recognizes that interpretations vary. So I'm glad you're pursuing additional assessments to pin down the MRI findings.

Second, some organizations provide certifications for cancer centers that meet their specific criteria (research, caseload, that sort of thing). You can find national lists of these centers online, as well as the criteria used to identify them. The National Pancreatic Foundation is one.
https://pancreasfoundation.org/patient-resources/npf-centers-of-excellence/
Another is the National Cancer Institute, which provides three different designations based on the center's emphasis.
https://www.cancer.gov/research/infrastructure/cancer-centers
Hope that helps. Good luck! Hope all works well for you.

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Replies to "I wanted to mention two things. (FYI, I'm just a patient, not any sort of medical..."

Awesome! Thanks! I’m hoping it’s nothing, but appreciate the knowledge. Good luck on your journey!!!