Is MRI good diagnostig tool for IBC?

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MissBenster
MissBenster Member Posts: 27
edited June 2014 in IBC (Inflammatory Breast Cancer)

I've been reading your threads about this cancer and trying to find out if IBC is generally seen on a Breast MRI?

I'm having a breast MRI after two days and so far I'v had Mammogram and US done...and it's been a long story..my first symptom was a swollen arm/lymphedema and then I found a lump, went in to have a mammogram and US only to be told that it was a large lobules ...I wasn't happy with that so off I went again after talking to my GP ...then they said it was just a cyst and they aspirate it..I thought the lump was gone but after I got home I saw nothing had changed really..

Now I got dimples on my breast and the dimples keeps getting larger, there is a lot of thickening in the breast and also all they way up to the axillary area...it's like the skin has gotten thicker but you can't see it on the outside but you can deffinetly feel it... I found a swollen lymph node under the arm and went again to the cancer screening station and they did look at it with US and she said that it looked benign but she saw another one that looked suspicious ..and she took FNA biopsy of it and that came back benign ..but she never tested the one I could feel and can still feel....

Next I met with a breast surgeon and he ordered the MRI for me...and I was thinking is it possible that this is IBC?

Because I thought it could only be IBC if the breast got swollen and red ...but I read the ibchelp.org site and there it said that this cancer could present with lymphedema arm and also this thickening, stabbing pain on and off, nipple flattening, change in the texture of the areola and I have all of that ...I found the lump two months ago.

Sorry for this venting I'm just worried because I've been feeling so let down these last weeks ...it's almost like I'm sick with the flu...sometime I got a fever and dizziness ..and I've lost 20 pounds with out trying...

Was your cancer seen on MRI? 

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Comments

  • lorieg
    lorieg Member Posts: 802
    edited December 2009

    Breast MRI did show the inflammatory changes characteristic of IBC for me, but my entire breast was involved.  I already had a tissue diagnosis at the time of my MRI.  You need a core biopsy, not a FNA biopsy.  I started with the skin thickening and pain well before I had any of the other skin changes.  I hope you get some answers.  Best of luck and hugs.

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  • Faith316
    Faith316 Member Posts: 2,431
    edited December 2009

    Not only do you need a core or excisional biopsy, but you also need a punch biopsy to get some of the affected skin.  Keep us posted what you find out.

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  • MissBenster
    MissBenster Member Posts: 27
    edited December 2009

    Thank you so much lorieg, its good to know that the MRI showed these changes...when I met with the surgeon he told me that he was going to do a biopsy but first he wanted to talk to the cancer screening station and look at my pictures...after he had done that he told me they want to do the MRI instead of biopsy because the MRI is so sensitive...

    I'm hoping he will do a biopsy too just to be on the safe side...because my symptoms keep getting worse... 

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  • MissBenster
    MissBenster Member Posts: 27
    edited December 2009

    I will sure mention that to the surgeon about the punch biopsy..Faith...is that always done to find out about IBC?

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  • idaho
    idaho Member Posts: 1,187
    edited December 2009

    It is called a skin punch biopsy.. most effective tool for diagnosing IBC.   Health and peace to you.  Tami

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  • clellene
    clellene Member Posts: 5
    edited December 2009

    my cancer was diagnosed using biospies.  I don't know if MRI's will show just the cancer as if it is IBC the cancer presents as sheets or nests of cells.  I would ask for a Ultrasound guided biopsy if there are any "masses" that can be identified.  and in the lymph node as well.  Mine clearly showed up in the punch biopsy (just the surface are of the breast) , the lymph node biopsy and the mass biopsy guided by ultrasound. I would download information on IBC from the internet and take it with me to the doctor.  It is so rare that they may not be aware of it. 

    I hope that you do not have IBC, but as my doctor says, "yes, only a small percentage of women get what you have, but this is 100% of what you have and we need to deal with it on that basis."

    my thoughts and prayers are with you.  Good luck!

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