Multiple scans, waiting for biopsy

Options
sumitime
sumitime Member Posts: 4
edited September 2015 in Waiting for Test Results

New here and wanted to vent a little. Here's my story. I'm 39. About a year and a half ago, I developed a discharge from one breast. I had a mammogram and ultrasound, but they couldn't find the cause. I finally had a ductogram and they found a fistula, so off to surgery I went to have it removed and have an excisional biopsy. The results came back with ADH and combining that with multiple other factors, it placed me as high risk. I started Tamoxifen a couple months ago, and the side effects are tolerable for now. I decided during my last BS appointment that I wanted a screening MRI since my original problem couldn't be seen on mammo or ultrasound. I have extremely dense breasts, so I did have a 3D mammo last December, which was clear. They called be back right away and said I needed another 3D mammo to look at a couple spots on the same problem breast. I had the 3D mammo, then they added on an ultrasound, but neither scan showed enough detail of one of the spots. One spot has been cleared, thankfully, just some residual from the surgery. They think the other spot might be fat necrosis from the surgery and want to do an MRI guided biopsy to clear it. Only problem is that the remaining questionable spot is not in the area of the surgery, unless they dug around a bit on the other side of the breast while they were in there. I'm nervous about the biopsy procedure and of course what the results will be. The MRI was hard enough as it was, let alone having to go back so soon and for longer. I'm trying to keep in mind that it is probably just fat necrosis and that MRI's have false positives. I'm still waiting for them to call and schedule the biopsy, which only drags the worry out longer.

Comments

  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited August 2015

    Hi sumitime. Welcome to Breastcancer.org, although we're sorry that you have to be here for this worry! We all know this is a scary time, and hopefully soon you'll get answers here with stories and support from other kind and experienced members who can help.

    In the mean time, you may want to read and learn more on Biopsy procedure, what to expect, different techniques, etc.

    Please let us know how everything goes, we're here for you!

    The Mods


  • sumitime
    sumitime Member Posts: 4
    edited August 2015

    I'm still waiting for the biopsy to be scheduled. It seems it got pushed to the bottom of the list because they thought it was for the MRI I just had last week. After calling them today about it, they found the error and pushed it to the top of the list, so hopefully I'll get the insurance auth soon and get me scheduled. In the meantime, I got the detailed results of the MRI. It says I have a "clumped non mass enhancement and ovoid configuration. This has the appearance of possible rim enhancement around a 1.5 x 1.0 x 0.8 cm mass." The enhancement did not meet the threshold for kinectics analysis. She thinks it's fat necrosis from my surgical biopsy, but the area of enhancement is on the almost opposite side of the surgery site. Of course, fat necrosis can come from any sort of hit to the breast, so I can't let myself get too worked up over the fact that it's on the opposite side from the surgical biopsy.

  • sumitime
    sumitime Member Posts: 4
    edited August 2015

    I finally had the core biopsy today. Thank God for Ativan! Made this procedure much more tolerable than the original MRI. They said it'll only take 2-3 business days for him to get the results, but it's Friday, so tack a couple more days on to that. Still nervous, but keeping myself in check by reminding myself of the more likely benign results that it will probably just be some fat necrosis.

  • sumitime
    sumitime Member Posts: 4
    edited September 2015

    Good news is it was just a fibroadenoma and they've cleared me for now! I go back to my 6 month screenings for the time being

Categories