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Detecting cancer in women with dense breasts: MRI?
Breast Cancer | Last Active: Jun 5 7:54am | Replies (168)Comment receiving replies
Thank you so much! This reassures me a great deal. Yes, I am getting an MRI next time, although I had to ask for it. She didn’t give me any push back and told me she had no problem with ordering it for my next 6 month check-up. I don’t think she would have suggested it if I hadn’t asked about it.
Replies to "Thank you so much! This reassures me a great deal. Yes, I am getting an MRI..."
Jaynep I feel compelled to reply, as I was diagnosed in Oct ‘22 ONLY because they did an MRI. Nothing showed up on my last mammo from ‘21. My sister was diagnosed in September of ‘22 so I called my Dr and she said it put me in a high risk group bc my sister is under 50. Lo and behold the MRI showed a fairly large area of cancer which the subsequent biopsy confirmed as Triple Negative Invasive ductal carcinoma. The radiologist said it WOULD NOT have shown up on a mammogram, because I have dense breast tissue- which I had never been told before. He said maybe after the fact because he knew what he was looking for would it be evident. So please do advocate for yourself. Since my experience I fully believe every woman should have a breast MRI with contrast, as that is how the cancer was found in my case. I would still be walking around thinking I was fine if my sister didn’t get diagnosed and if my Doctor hadn’t responded the way she did.
I get 3D mammogram and MRI annually, 6 months apart as others have noted. The out-of-pocket cost is about $1500, dependent on your insurance plane coverage. I recommend that women with dense breasts visit a website called My Density Matter. It has information on effectiveness of the various breast screening technologies. Stay well friends.
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I had a unilateral mastectomy February 2022, a year ago next week. I had a “ normal “ mammo and ultrasound in October ‘21 but due to an undiagnosed persistent symptom I requested an MRI 2 mos later vs. 6 mos later… TWO, not ONE intermediate size tumors were found. Two biopsies later I was scheduled for surgery.
October ‘22 I had another “ normal” mammo and ultrasound of intact healthy breast. And today I had an MRI ( which I will have annually ).
Just as it was near finished the tech paused and said she had to redo last part.. I hope this is a fairly common thing.. where they need to recalibrate or something . I’m definitely on edge here until I get results. This is a very challenging anniversary week!
Dense breasts?! REQUEST THE MRI!
Mammos miss 10% of breast cancers… it should be a standard add on for women with dense breasts.