Should I be frustrated with the radiologist?

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Aunnie
Aunnie Member Posts: 12
edited June 2014 in High Risk for Breast Cancer

My history - My mother has 3 sisters who have had breast cancer and my oldest sister has had breast cancer.  I had a scare almost 2 years ago and the area biopsied turned out to be necrotic tissue.  This past April, my mammogram revealed an area requiring a more detailed mammogram.  My MD was able to palpate and area in my breast and asked that I return in 6 weeks.  On my 6 week follow up, he could not find the area again, but scheduled me for a 6 month mammogram.  I had the 6 month follow up last week and the mammo was normal.  Saw my MD today and he could feel the area in my breast again so he sent me to have an ultrasound.  Watching the ultrasound, I do have an area which was very dark and round.  The technician meanured it and said she would take it to the radiologist to determine if I should have a biopsy or if it needed to be aspirated.  She returned and said the radiologist did not want to do any further testing and she would send my report to my MD.  I am kind of frustrated as I have been having some off/on issues in this breast for almost 2 years.  There is CLEARLY something on the ultrasound images.  Is there any reason why the radiologist would opt out of doing any further diagnostic procedures?

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  • BLinthedesert
    BLinthedesert Member Posts: 678
    edited October 2012

    I wouldn't be frustrated, but you could ask your MD if there is any reason to have a breast specialist (Breast Surgeon, or BS, on this site) look at your radiology images and do an exam.  It could be that the radiology report will describe what was seen and what the radiologist thinks that it is -- uncomplicated cysts are "usually" obviously seen with ultrasound, but are not a problem.  Complicated cysts don't look normal and will often be biopsied, as are other things that are unexpected and don't look like uncomplicated cysts.   

    Good luck, I hope it is "nothing" - but more than anything, I hope you get answers as to what  your MD is feeling.

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  • Aunnie
    Aunnie Member Posts: 12
    edited October 2012

    Thank you.  Just have a lot of anxiety.  Now have to wait another week for the MD visit.

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  • momof3boys
    momof3boys Member Posts: 896
    edited October 2012

    Have you had a breast MRI? I would insist on one.

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  • SarahsMom
    SarahsMom Member Posts: 1,779
    edited October 2012

    Hi - here's a great question to ask (learned this from one of the wise ladies out here when I first joined the board) -

    "If it isn't cancer, what is it?"

    Then, keep asking until you get an answer. Although it seems normal to us, most women don't have the problems we have. We have breast disease, there is something not right, for whatever reason. It would be like having heart disease or any other kind of disease. I hate when this is marginalized like a sore arm or something... ARGH. Ok, off my soapbox!!

    These issues wreak psychological havoc on us. Trusting your team is really important when you have breast lumps, bumps, tingling, etc that you can feel and they are guessing are benign.  Without a biopsy, it is just a guess, an educated guess, but nonetheless - a guess.  I finally have a doc and a radiologist that I trust, so when they send me away with the Birads 3, probably benign, I try to get on with my life until the next 6 month check. With the previous team, I was always questioning. They seemed in a hurry and wanted to brush me off. I even pointed out calcs on my films that the radiologist did not note in the paperwork. She thought because they were scattered, there was no reason to put that in my record. Since much of the diagnostics in this "realm" rely on trends and changes, and I move every few years with the military and change teams, I thought that was irresponsible of her. She was very young and did not specialize in mammography. So I moved to a breast center, with nothing but middle to late age docs and radiologists who have a wealth of experience and knowledge. Sleeping much better at night now! 

    All of that being said - I have two areas that are getting thicker and we can't see into. The doctor thinks the diagnostic mammo that "flattens out" the area is good enough for him to decide that all is well. But this is my "bad breast" where I had a ductal excision, ADH, the calcs, cysts and loads of density. My right breast - perfectly clear, no problems, ever. So I just feel that if something pops up, it will be with the bad one.  I am high risk due to maternal grandmother and aunt, and paternal grandma died from ovarian.  I don't have any sisters, and my mom has not had cancer, but ADH, papillomas, calcs, et al. Anyhow, I have to trust the team, as much as I want and MRI to peek in those areas. They are expensive and I guess they bring out the big guns when they are really worried. 

    Just keep pushing until you sleep ok at night, that's a good barometer for all of this craziness!

    Sending you an understanding hug, I've been dealing with this stuff since 2005!

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  • Aunnie
    Aunnie Member Posts: 12
    edited October 2012

    Thanks, Carp.  Saw my surgeon today.  The area he can feel in my breast does not show up on either mammogram or ultrasound.  However, on the US, there is an another area or nodule, which they don't feel is a malignancy.  Anyway, due to my family history, he thinks we should skip the biopsy and get them both out.  I am scheduled for surgery on November 2nd.  I hate to wait so long, but am thankful that he is going to go get them. Then we will know for sure what this is.

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