MRI Anxiety
Not sure if I'm posting to the right place. I'm scheduled for an MRI on Monday and I'm concerned they will find additional things which may or may not be important. I have an appointment with a breast surgeon on Wed, so doubt the results will be ready by then. Also wondering if I will be able to work that day after or ride my horse.
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MRI’s can see many things but that doesn’t mean they all have significance or are bc related. Human bodies can be very interesting! If an MRI picks up anything that merits further investigation, a PET scan is often done. If something is there, whether you have an MRI or not, it’s still there. That being said, please understand that the chances of finding metastasis is quite small, so try not to get yourself wound up over something that is unlikely to happen.
MRI’s are noisy! Lots of different clanging sounds and some even sound like jackhammers 😂. It doesn’t bother me now, but I have used soft foam ear plugs in the past and an eye mask is relaxing too. Remember not to have any metal on your clothing/body. This is a completely non-invasive process (save for contrast injection if you are having that) and there are no restrictions on activities afterwards. BTW, my facility seems to read MRI’s very quickly. I usually see them in my patient portal less than 24 hours after the test. Take care1 -
MRIs are just a type of scan and leave no aftereffects, so you can resume regular activity as soon as you're out of the tube. They're also a very routine pre-operative step so the surgeon can get a better view of the location of your tumor. Apparently, the regular breast tissue and the tumor can look very similar, so it's tricky for the surgeon unless they have as much imaging as possible for reference.
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Hi @tigglewinkle, An MRI will not interfere with being able to work or ride your horse the next day. Unless you take medication to relax you can ride when you get home. You have to stay still and it is very noisy (you get earplugs and headphones) but there are no aftereffects. Some people don’t like lying on their stomach for a breast MRI but you can see outside the machine. It’s possible that the results will be ready for your appointment. The results of my most recent MRI were posted three hours after it was completed; other times it has taken one to three days.
Everyone worries about unwelcome results but it is better to have as much information as possible when planning your surgery. I hope your appointment goes well and nothing concerning is found.
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Thank you all. I was worried the contrast would have some after effects. I appreciate the info—feel more prepared if still a little anxious…Just afraid they're going to say "oh look, there's more cancer that we didn't see!" I know my tumor was very small and I think disrupted by the biopsy and the clip moved, so not sure what they'll even see of the original tumor. I'm just obsessing, so will try to stop.
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Contrast… some people feel a warm flush after the injection, others feel like they’ve wet themselves (they haven’t), and some feel nothing. That is all very normal.
I know this type of worry defies logic but here’s a bit of logic anyway; you likely stand a greater chance of great bodily harm every time you get into your car to drive somewhere than you do of having metastatic disease. De novo mets are very uncommon!1 -
Questions re MRI of abdomen:
For 5 years, I've always gotten Abd CT (with contrast) and Chest CT (no contrast) every 3-4 months, but nolonger because I've developed an allergy to iodine. Now must choose between PET CT (whole body) or MRI of abdomen (plus CT of chest). Would like to know what to expect with an MRI of the abdomen.
- Are you laying face up (supine) or face down (prone)?
- How long does the scan of the abdomen last?
- Do you go into the tube head first?
- What is the heavy "plate" that is put on your abdomen? One patient describes it as a heavy "blanket"?
- CT's include several "deep breath in and hold" instructions. Are MRI instructions similar? Does the heavy plate on the abdomen make this harder to do?
- Does the patient wear both ear plugs and ear muffs?
- Any other info or tips welcome.
Thank you
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@weninwi You should be face up. I want to say it lasts between 20-30 minutes. Yes, you will go in head first if memory serves me correctly. Sadly, I can’t remember the “blanket,” so I really can’t help in that one. I do believe they hold breathing similar to CT. Sometimes they give me ear plugs and sometimes muffs. The muffs are so they can play music through them. They started not using them when Covid hit, so I’m not sure if some went back to it. I do suggest something to keep your nerves calm because they really need you to lie very still. They usually do the pictures first, shoot the contrast, and then more pictures. They want you to be in the same position throughout.
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Kris,
Thanks for all the info. I'm being to get a pretty good idea/picture of what to expect which hopefully will reduce my anxiety.
Wendy
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The “blanket” is a shape coil (flexible radiofrequency coil) which they wrap around the part of your anatomy they are focusing on. It’s moderately heavy and is comfortable. They sometimes use velcro straps to hold you in a certain position; that makes it easier to stay still.
My local hospital gives you both ear plugs and headphones with music. The big hospital I travel to just gives earplugs. I don’t mind the tube but you can ask your doctor to prescribe something in advance if you are anxious or claustrophobic. They generally won’t give you meds at the facility. I hope you have an easy MRI.
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Maggie,
Oh my….the more I learn about MRI the less I like what I'm learning. The thought of having a weight on my abdomen is not appealing. Are abdominal MRI's always done with the coil? And being wrapped with velcro straps to prevent moving is a definite no-go. I can lay still under the power of my own self-control. My oncologist also offered Pet scan as an alternative to MRI, but the liver and chest images will have less detail. I have a week to decide.
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Exactly what is done is ordered by the doctor who sometimes defers to the radiologist who has opinions on how to get the best image. The shapecoil “blanket” or strap isn’t terribly heavy but yields clearer pictures. A pet scan is easier but you don’t get the detail that an MRI provides. You could always ask your doctor what type of MRI would be ordered. Sometimes an MRI with your head out is all that is needed, especially if the purpose is to compare scans for progression rather than using them as a diagnostic tool.
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I think the MRI I had of my abdomen, I had my head out. Can't remember well, but they might have given me a choice to go head first or head out. I also got ear plugs and music. I didn't exactly like the whole set up, but it was "doable". I found the weight on my abdomen odd and wasn't crazy about it, but again, it was manageable. The velcro straps can be a bit anxiety producing for me when they first fasten them, but then oddly perhaps I usually wind up finding them comfortable and allowing me to relax more and not having to worry about the position of my hands, body, etc. Wendy, usually if I just close my eyes, and take myself to "another place", I can get through that stuff without medication or freaking out. I will say that even when you get music, it can be hard to hear, because the machine still makes it's usual noise, so you can really only hear the music intermittently. However, I still prefer it with music than without, and when I hear the snippets what I can, I can then often follow the rest of a song in my mind, with my eyes closed, even though the sound of the machine takes over. I've never had a PET, so can't compare any differences there. The MRI is a little more "daunting" if you will than a CT with contrast, but for me at least, I can get through it. For the MRI, you also have to get into their scrubs, whereas with a CT, I can usually just wear my regular clothes and slide my jeans down to my thighs, under a blanket they give me, and that's another difference. I can totally understand having anxiety about it. I hope that whatever choice you make, it goes very well for you.
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Thank you Maggie and Threetree. The info you've provided is very helpful. I'll probably go with the MRI. I'll ask more questions of the Oncology Triage Team and the Radioligy Dept. Scheduler, but often their answers are general and lack specifics.
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