Incidental Pancreatic cyst of 1.3 cm found

Forgot to add both MRI was with contrast done at South CA kaiser
I’m 64 year old woman

@lpaelevated4 In my opinion, as a patient who has had a total pancreactectomy due to multiple Neuroendocrine Tumors, you should seek an additional opinion from a reputable HPB (Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary) surgeon. I would see them sooner because it is obvious you are anxious to be reassured that all is stable. Additionally, someone else may have a different idea about pursuing more regular imaging to provide additional data points to ascertain if this "burst" in growth is just an anomaly or it is indicative of something that needs more immediate addressing.

Based upon your history and your mother's, you may also want to consult with a geneticist to ascertain if you have a genetic predisposition to certain conditions. This diagnosis will help steer you and your physicians in the right direction for any future treatments. (You may have to pay for these tests in some cases, not breast cancer probably, but health insurers haven't gotten their act together about other genetic conditions yet.) I found out that I have MEN1, after they found the pancreatic tumors. This has led me to see multiple specialists and have subsequent routine imaging, monitoring, and surgeries. All of which have helped me to extend my life and improve my outcome.

Of note, diagnostic MRI equipment can vary in its ability to show phenomena (lesions/cyst) from facility to facility and differing MRI units within a hospital campus. From what little I know, you could have had a small (2mm, maybe even a 5mm) cyst that was not identifiable in 2023 based upon the ability of the equipment or the slices that were imaged. One of my surgeons explained it to me that it is like slicing raisin bread. One year a scan will not show anything and the next it may show a 2 mm lesion because the slice was in the middle of the lesion "raisin" during the recent scan. Does that help you to visualize the problem? As a result, this may not have grown as much as you believe.

The MRCP may help give them additional information from a different methodology. I get contrast CT/PET-Dotatate and alternating MRI's yearly to look for new NETs. The contrast they use is one that NET's like and absorb, thereby showing prominently in the scan. I'm not sure what they would use to identify an IPMN, but this might help you to research and be able to ask additional questions about your testing.

PANCAN is the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network online, and is a great resource for information as well as specialists in your area that may be able to help. https://pancan.org/

Try not to be afraid. Educate yourself and if what you hear doesn't make sense, vote with your feet and see someone else. Trust your gut. It does help to have someone with you during all of your visits who can write down notes based upon your list of questions and the information the doctors give. When you go back over the notes later, it helps with research. When you face the office visits alone, you cannot listen and absorb everything at the same time, especially if you are scared.

We are here to help. Please let me know if you have other questions I may have some insights into based upon my experiences.

- Matt