Can MRI be used to check lungs, pelvis, abdomen?

Posted by joli524 @joli524, May 25 3:53pm

Can MRI be used instead of tomography (CT) to check lungs, pelvis, abdomen for possible metastasis?

I under diagnosis of breast tumor. I had USG, mammography, biopsy, blood test and waiting for the results. I was sent by the doctor to computer tomography (CT) for lungs, pelvis and abomen test.

However, I wander if MRI could be done instead of CT (fully or partially) and have the same diagnostic value in this situation.
Do you know? Also, did your doctors sent you to CT or MRI?

I am thinking that I might be sent to CT, because queue for MRI in public hospital would be too long. If this is a case, I could go to MRI privately and pay for it, if MRI has similar diagnostic value to CT.

Unfortunatelly, I didn't ask the doctor during the visit about this.

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northoftheborder | @northoftheborder | May 25 5:33pm

Yes, it can. I had an MRI initially when we were trying to figure out what was happening to me, and that's how they found the spinal lesion (prostate cancer metastasis).

But we still default to CT for routine monitoring here in Ontario. I just had a CT scan with contrast (instead of MRI or PSMA-PET) of my chest, abdomen, and pelvis as a routine 4-year check, simply because there's no indication anything's actually wrong (my PSA is still undetectable, my other bloodwork is good, etc etc). They paired that with a bone scan.

clare12351 | @clare12351 | 6 days ago

As part of my follow up at Mayo after chemo and radiation for anal cancer in Oct Nov 2024, I had an MRI at Mayo in Feb 2025 and upon return visit in May they did at CT , the combination of those two tests showed them a complete picture of what they were looking for as possible metastic activity in lymph nodes or other organs
results are negative right now
I am on a schedule to go back every 3 months for 2 years ,, I think we need both CT and MRI
Best wishes on your journey,, so many questions as we go along , Let us know how you are doing !!