MRI MRCP - Cyst (IPMN) - Newbie

Which doctor did you see at Hartford Hospital? I was recently diagnosed with 3 IPMN’s in the pancreatic tail and am in the Hartford area.

I am not a physician, but my intuition says get checked out for hepatitis.

Wow, we have similar symptoms. How are you doing now?
I'm 54 and my GI issues started about 18 months ago with what I thought was food poisoning. I Went to the ED had a CT scan and labs. They initially said it might be diverticulosis but weren't sure about it. All my labs were normal including lipase. My symptoms didn't go away so I went back to the ED 10 days later and had another CT scan which showed nothing except fatty liver which I already knew about from a previous MRI several years ago.
Since then, my symptoms have turned chronic- indigestion, nausea, constant belching, cramps, and just feel sick on/off. I can't pinpoint it to anything. I keep changing my diet around trying to figure out if it's my diet or If my mental health is causing my symptoms because I worry about my health so much.
I had both a colonoscopy and endoscopy which were normal and a plethora of labs that are all normal. 6 months ago, I had a CT scan of my chest for some small lug nodules, and they said I had mild pancreatic atrophy without ductal dilation.
Since July, my GI symptoms continue and so I had another CT scan with contrast done 2 weeks ago and it said incidental noted sub centimeter 0.8 cystic lesion in the uncinate process, possibly an IPMN no ductal dilation or inflammatory changes.
I immediately made an appointment with GI at Loyola University Medical Center just outside of Chicago.
They said the interventional GI doctor looked at my CT scan and said he saw no indication to have an EUS and that I should follow up with an MRCP in 6 months and if it shows no changes to come back in 18 months for another MRCP.
They also did a C19-9 which was 4 and amylase and lipase which were all normal.
They don't think any of my GI symptoms are related to my pancreas or the IPMN.
I'm trying to get on with my life but it's hard because of all these GI symptoms and I can't help but believe my pancreas is what's causing my symptoms.
But I guess at some point you have to trust your doctors and seek mental health help.

11/2023 Suffering from epigastric pain my PCP sent me to ER
CT SCAN of Abdomen/Pelvic
Findings
Pancreatic cyst in neck possible SB-IPMN .4mm
Other findings as well in spleen and kidneys.
Still awaiting for follow up to go over results. I went on patient portal and read my results.
I am hopeful, because it seems SB-IPMN are benign. AND nobody seems concerned with the findings, as it has been 4 months since CT scan and no follow up. I still suffer with epigastric pain. I should find another PCP.
Thanks so much for all of the information shared.

I hope this is an OK forum for this question. I had an MRI and it says
"Pancreatic body cystic lesion measuring 8 mm, which does not appear to be in communication with the main pancreatic duct. Differential considerations include simple cyst or a benign sidebranch papillary mucinous neoplasm."

I am confused because I thought to be an IPMN, it had to have communication with the main duct? Does anyone know more about this?

I would love to go to Mayo Clinic!!! Unfortunately my insurance is only good in Virginia though. Wish that weren’t the case. Thanks!

@huilim, only a health care professional can interpret an MRI report. I encourage you to seek a second opinion. If you would like to request a second opinion with Mayo Clinic specialist team, please contact Mayo Clinic by phone or using the form. See here: http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63

That is so scary that the biopsy did not show cancer and it actually was. So glad that at least you got diagnosed when you did. Sorry you are going through this. I felt dismissed by the GI doc today because the hypodensity is only 1 cm. I am getting a second opinion. I think everyone should no matter what.

I can only speak from my experience. I was diagnosed in July 2021 with an IPMN (2cm) on the tail of the pancreas on the main duct. An EUS with fine needle aspiration came back with a benign finding. Surgeon suggested to surveil in a year. In June 2022 IPMN grew to only 2.1 cm, but main duct dilation seemed worse. So, in July 2022, I had a distal pancreatectomy. Pathology report revealed cancer in the resected portion, so I was stage 1b. Doctors suspected that the cyst had some responsibility for this. I had Folferinox for 6 months to chase down any cancer cells (no active cancer), but it still ended up spreading to my liver. Now I'm on Gemzar/Abraxane. Consider getting a second opinion, my advice.

Should I get a second opinion can I cut and paste my MRI report and hopefully someone will be able to help me