radioactive seed insertion - anyone btdt?

ealga · July 2013

Good morning to all,

I am facing a re-excision on Wednesday to clean up margins and go after one more calcification they just found. i am having a radioactive seed inserted tomorrow so help my surgeon locate the remaining cancer. Weird thing is, while I am not worried about the lumpectomy, i'm very anxious about the seed insertion! My wire insertion the first time was awful - very painful - it felt like they used no numbing agent at all. i think because my breasts are so dense and lumpy the medicine doesn't permeate the way it should. any advice? i'm a nervous wreck. Many thanks as always.

redsox · July 2013

Are you sure it is a radioactive seed? To help locate the cancer usually they insert an inert metal clip that will show up on imaging. Radioactive seeds are used for brachytherapy treatment but are not generally used just to mark the location.

ealga · July 2013

that's what my surgeon told me - a radioactive seed that she will remove during the re-excision. She said not to hold babies on my chest for extend periods of time :-)

redsox · July 2013

Yes, that would be a radioactive seed. It is not usual but I did find an article on it:

http://health.usf.edu/nocms/medicine/breasthealth/PDFDocuments/Radioactive Seed Localization.pdf

So I guess they do use it if the wire localization is not working well.

ealga · July 2013

thanks so much. let's hope it doesn't hurt like the wires did ;-)

redsox · July 2013

It should be easier. Good luck!

radioactive seed insertion - anyone btdt?

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