Second Opnion is Imperative-Please read my story!

Thank you all for your support. I feel compelled to share my story and strongly suggest that anyone that has been diagnosed with aortic disease get a second opinion with one caveat-if you were diagnosed by an aortic speciaist you may not need one. I was diagnosed with a 4.8 cm dialated ascending aorta in December of last year. My cardiologist is an excellent physician; however, I felt like there were gaps in his investigation-mainly, no mention of a Gated CT Scan. During my research I learned the Echocardiagram that indentified my dilation was prone to human error resulting in range bound accuracy. It is a good way to identify the dilation, but for accuracy in measurement-not the best. And we deserve the best.

I found the Aortic Disease Center at Stanford and worked hard to get a second opinion. I was put in touch with a Stanford Physician Assistant that specializes in aortic disease. I pushed for a Gated Ct Scan, and she agreed. She was very knowledgeable-she ordered a Gated CT Scan for my heart and my abdominal region. She needed to confirm that my abdominal aorta was not compromised. The good news is that the CT scan (the gold standard) measured my Ascdending Aorta dialation at 4.3 cm. This measurement was 0.5 cm less than the echo. More importantly, the scan located a 2.1 cm mass on my right kidney-potentiall cancerous. I am now addressing this diagnosis with a specialist at Stanford. The mass on my kidney may have gone unnoticed if not for the knowledge and experience offered by a specialist.

It is has been my experience that we need to be our own medical advocate. I trust the medical industry; however, finding a physician that specializes in your disease is crucial. My cardiologist is an competent physician, but that didn't stop me from questioning his technique. We are so fortunate to have support groups like this and AI to help us become more knowledgeable about our disesase. Keep asking questions!