Confused about referral

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Bribugsmomma
Bribugsmomma Member Posts: 3
edited March 2018 in Not Diagnosed But Worried

Hi everyone. Last month I found a lump in my left breast. I had been having some strange sensations in that breast for a couple of months and finally did a self exam. I was actually shocked to find something. I went to my PCP and the lump was confirmed. She then requested a mammogram and ultrasound be completed. I am 42 and this would be my first one. I am very small breasted as well. The imaging was completed and the report shows that I have two cysts in the left breast and one in the right. The lady who did the ultrasound only measured the larger of the cysts in the left breast so there were two that were not measured at all. Shouldn’t all of them be measured since this would be considered my baseline mammogram findings? I find it odd. I’m over the moon to have been given a birads 2 and a benign finding. That was last week. Today I get a call from the surgery department at the hospital to schedule an appt with a surgeon. I’m concerned as to why my PCP would initiate that referral. Has anyone had this same situation? I have my surgeon appt set for Tuesday. Any input is greatly appreciated. My nerves are once again going crazy!!

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  • Recap
    Recap Member Posts: 120
    edited March 2018

    I would call and ask them what the ordering date is on the referral order (you don't need to tell them why you want to know.) These days almost everything is digital including what your PCP initiated. If the order date was before your imaging date, it may have been a premature transfer of an automatic referral. If the order date is after your imaging results report date, you need to ask your PCP about it. They often load into the computer all their orders at once even the just-in-case orders.

    Just my opinion, but never turn down the opportunity for a consultation after imaging-you then have a foot in the door.

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  • Bribugsmomma
    Bribugsmomma Member Posts: 3
    edited March 2018

    Thank you Recap. The surgeon referral came after the results were in. I am certainly keeping the appt. I want to take advantage of all possible resources and opinions. I will try to get a message to my PCP, however I doubt I will get a response prior to my appt. Do you find it odd that measurements were not taken of two out of three “benign-appearing cysts”? I’m wondering if a thorough ultrasound was completed. This was my first mammogram and ultrasound so I have no experience to compare to

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  • Recap
    Recap Member Posts: 120
    edited March 2018

    I bet they measured them all but the smaller ones may have been small enough that they fall below some measurement-significance cut off point. What were the measurements of the biggest one? (I thought my mass since it was measured in mm instead of cm meant it was really really tiny, until I actually looked at a ruler and decided mm's are not all that small-knowing my measurement and seeing the image actually helped me judge and compare what/where I touched to what the measurement was.)

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  • Georgia1
    Georgia1 Member Posts: 1,321
    edited March 2018

    Hi Bribugsmama. It's actually pretty standard for them to "measure" only the largest ones. It's sorta like a map: once you have one thing on a grid measured you can figure out the size of everything else using that as a proportional scale. I have a million thyroid cysts and that's what they did years ago and it's worked fine ever since.

    The surgery referral is weird but if you have the report and know it's a birads 2 then hopefully there's nothing to worry about and you can just ask some questions. Best of luck.

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  • Bribugsmomma
    Bribugsmomma Member Posts: 3
    edited March 2018

    Thank you Georgia1. I feel better now. The report just stated that the ultrasound tech didn’t measure the others with no other explanation. Makes sense. Hopefully the appt will just be for answering questions even though I don’t know what to ask really. Anything specific

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