Do they always do an MRI?

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mattmandypaige
mattmandypaige Member Posts: 8
edited July 2021 in Surgery - Before, During, and After

I am meeting with my oncologist and surgeon tomorrow to figure out what my treatment plan will be. IDC, Grade 2.

I am wondering if they are going to require me to have an MRI before my surgery. I am still waiting to find out if it is going to be a lumpectomy or mastectomy.

I had an MRI about 4 months ago before a hysterectomy. I am VERY claustrophobic and had a panic attack during the MRI and had to stop halfway through. I just don't want to do another MRI. I know it sounds silly in the grand scheme of things, but I don't know if I can do it again.

Do they usually have you do one before surgery?

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  • navy1305
    navy1305 Member Posts: 34
    edited July 2021

    Sorry to hear about your panic attack.

    In my situation, I had a biopsy after a mammogram detected a teeny tiny microcalcification when I had some unexplained nipple discharge, and the biopsy revealed DCIS. We still couldn't see what was causing the nipple discharge, even after a galactogram, so my surgeon ordered an MRI to get a better look and then we were like, holy crap, the DCIS was almost 8cm so that pretty much decided it for me and I had a mastectomy. When they dissected the mastectomy tissue, they found 4 spots of invasive cancer that they were not expecting. Thus, for me, the MRI was definitely a great idea.

    I am sorry I cannot relate to being claustrophobic, but if you can figure out how to tolerate an MRI again, it could possibly be a good idea in case there are other spots of cancer hiding that don't show up in other imaging modes. I do know that people can get some kind of anti-anxiety medicine before the MRI, but then you need someone to drive you home afterwards. In case you didn't know that is an option, you could ask your doctor about the details.

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  • Beesie
    Beesie Member Posts: 12,240
    edited July 2021

    No, they don't always do an MRI. It depends on the diagnosis and it depends on the preferences of the doctor. So your doctor may suggest one, or may not.

    I'm claustrophobic too. The thing to know about a breast MRI is that you go in face down, lying on your stomach. Because of that, I think breast MRIs are easier to get through. I tell myself I'm lying on a massage table (the position you are lying in is pretty much the same) and I keep my eyes closed. I think it's a very different experience than lying on your back, able to see how tight the tube is. I would be terrified of that, but I've had lots of breast MRIs with no problem.




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  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 4,924
    edited July 2021

    If you have very dense breast tissue, an MRI might be recommended to make sure the doctors have the most accurate picture, because dense tissue can make cancer harder to distinguish on a mammogram. Any woman can have dense tissue but it is more common with younger women. Another reason for a breast MRI is a diagnosis of ILC (lobular breast cancer) because it is best imaged with breast MRI. This does not apply to you since you have IDC.

    I can confirm what Beesie says about positioning. With breast MRI you are in "Superman flying" position. Your head is out and you can see out into the room.

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  • BtwnStars
    BtwnStars Member Posts: 95
    edited July 2021

    You can ask for something to help relax a bit. I took just 1 ativan and that helped, I kept my eyes closed, they put headphones on you with music, there was a fan at my head end blowing air, so it was fine to breathe. But I am not terribly claustrophobic. You just need to have someone drive you if you are going to take med. Oh and I did 1 breast MRI and 2 MRI biopsies in a matter of weeks!

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