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Re: BREASTHEALTH: Can a 5.5 cm breast mass on unkown etiology really just be ignored for 6 months?
From: William F. von Almen, II, MD, FACOG (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Sat, 24 May 2008 14:47:52 -0500 (CDT)
Mjak
That is a strange tale. Hence the reason to go in for an MRI, in my
opinion...Dr. von Almen
At Wed, 21 May 2008, mjak wrote:
>
>I have a mass in my right breast. I posted about it before. It was
>found on mammorgram and can not be felt. I am 41 yrs old and this was
>my first mammorgram. I was sent for an ultra sound and then 2 more
>ultra sounds. I was sent a letter telling me an MRI is suggested but if
>I choose not to have it to just come back in six months for a repeat
>Mammorgram. No information was given to me about this abnormality
>accept it is thought to be benign. I felt I could not make a decision
>about a Mammo with out my doctor receiving a full report so she could
>advise me. She got a report and told me to get the MRI. Well I picked
>up my films and a copy of the letter they sent to my doctor. It stated
>this mass appears over 5.5. cm on the mammo and can not be seen in its
>entierty on the ultra sounds but part of it can be seen it has some
>characteristics of a fibradanoma but is very close to the chest wall.
>After reading this report I was shocked. I had no idea about the size
>and clearly if it can not be fully evaluted by the Mammos and ultra
>sounds and is solid and by the chest wall an MRI is in order. Why would
>they even suggest the option of just comming back in 6 months. This is
>my first experience with mammography and it has been upsetting. They
>sent no reports to my doctors. Told me after the first ultra sound
>there was no mass at all and I could come back in a year. They then
>called me three days later asking me to return for another ultra sound.
>They did that ultra sound then as I was leaving asked me to come back in
>for more ultra sound pictures. At this point I said I was not taking my
>shirt off until I was told what was going on. I was then told about the
>first ultra sound being done on the wrong spot and that there was a
>mass. Now I read this report yesterday and what I thought was no big
>deal since they gave the option of doing nothing for six months seems
>like a very big deal. Am I overreacting in feeling that I need to find
>a new place to have my mammograms or does this sound like standard care?
>
>thanks
>mjak
--
Note: Opinions expressed here are for educational purposes
only and, as such, do not constitute a physician-patient
relationship. This information is not intended to supplant
the need for you to consult with your physician prior to
choosing therapeutic options and/or interventions.
** Private emails cannot be entertained due to time
constraints; consequently, they will receive no response.
William F. von Almen, II, MD, FACOG
Private Practice
New Orleans, La.
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