Mass different sizes on MRI and U/S. So confused!

jovigal

I just got my MRI results and I'm very confused. On u/s my mass was 1.8 cm on MRI (done yesterday) it's 2.5mm. Big difference. Which is right?  Anyone else have such a big difference?  They also found a 2.8 cm linear clumped suspicious area that they will have to biopsy with MRI since they couldn't find it on u/s today. 

This is all so unnerving. 

Fourminor

Hi Jovigal,

Ultrasound and MRI are complementary ways to image tissue.  Ultrasound looks at how the tumor attenuates a sound wave.  MRI looks at how the tumor affects the spin of hydrogen molecules. Neither is actually looking at the tissue so Only the pathologist will know for sure exactly how large it is.  But these measurements are different by 7mm, which isn't that much.  Generally MRI is a bit more sensitive than ultrasound, and tends to be a little more accurate, but it depends on the properties of the mass itself. 

Its the unknown that really messes with us.

jovigal

I think they made a mistake on my MRI report.  It's 1.8 cm on u/s and 2.5 mm on MRI.  It has to be a mistyping.  Just can't believe that they would say mm twice when they meant cm.