Worried About False Positives with MRI

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breastquest
breastquest Member Posts: 52
edited January 2016 in Diagnosed and Waiting for Test Results

With MRIs I've had in the past on unrelated parts of the body, they always find something that lights up, and the doctors make you hysterical!! And then after more testing --the radiologist tells you, it's probably something you were born with....

Now with an upcoming breast MRI, I've worried that it will be the same stuff.... I still have my period, and I know that I will light the thing up, and I don't want unnecessary biopsies.

Has anyone had the same issues? How did your doctors deal with it??

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  • MelissaDallas
    MelissaDallas Member Posts: 7,268
    edited January 2016

    They try to identify non-malignant versus not when they read it just like they do your mammogram, but same thing, if they're not sure they will recommend biopsy.

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  • Cdixson
    Cdixson Member Posts: 6
    edited January 2016

    I don't know if this will put your mind as ease, however I went through my mammogram and ultrasound without my radiologist (15yrs of being a radiologist) thinking my mass was cancerous. He did the breast biopsies (I chose to get the biopsies done before my MRI- I was impatient) and still felt it was not cancer. When I spoke with him about the results, turned out I have invasive ductal carcinoma wit medullary features. However, at that time, the pathologist thought it was medullary breast cancer, rare only 5%-10% of people have that type. If I hadn't gone through the biopsies, I would have never known. I know biopsies aren't even close to fun, but it does give you an answer that imaging just can't.

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  • MLP3
    MLP3 Member Posts: 534
    edited January 2016

    My mamm turned out to be "perfectly normal". The ultrasound after mamm showed a mass. Biopsy next day revealed invasive Ductal grade 3. Had I not had the ultrasound and biopsy, I would have never caught this. I viewed my biopsy as 100% necessary.

    Most benign cysts and tumors can be diagnosed with these scans. And then there's no need for a biopsy.

    Good luck!

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  • breastquest
    breastquest Member Posts: 52
    edited January 2016

    thx.

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  • BethL
    BethL Member Posts: 286
    edited January 2016

    two mris, 2 mammograms and a ductogram (via ultrasound) for me in 4 months time---all negative for malignancy. Had duct removed because of bloody nipple discharge =IDC. I'd worry more about false negatives. So thankful I had bleeding- otherwise who knows how big it would have gotten or how far it may have traveled. I have little confidence in scans. I'll take a false positive anyday. At least it's followed up.

    The last 2 mris I had showed a liver cyst. I know they are common, but still worry that it's yet another thing they're ignoring that may turn into something.

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