Has anyone had a breast MRI?

[Anonymous]

Sorry to post this in general parenting, but I noticed there's no health forum.

I have to get this done. Breast cancer runs in my family. This will be my first time having a breast MRI. Is it as bad as I hear? I want the truth so I can mentally prepare myself. And does anyone know how this is going to show more than a mammo?

[Anonymous]

I have a strong family history of breast cancer that occurs at a relatively young age. When I went to a breast specialist earlier this year (I'm 31), she recommended I have a yearly a breast MRI and skip mammography entirely. She said that because younger women's breast tissue is usually so dense, the mammogram wouldn't really show anything useful. Judging by the DVD of MRI images I received, they do give a very detailed picture. In my case, she found one small suspicious nodule which she then checked with ultrasound and diagnosed as a cyst and nothing to worry about.

For me, the procedure itself was no sweat, and I could've taken a nap in there had it not been so loud. But I'm not claustrophobic, and I'm very nearsighted, so without my glasses I don't have much visual sense anyway & thus didn't really feel "hemmed in" by the machine.

To prepare, I was set up with an IV for the injection of contrast material to help with some aspect of the imaging process. I was positioned face-down with my breasts dangling down through two holes in the part of the table that supported my torso. I closed my eyes and rested & didn't feel very much. I was also given earplugs, which helped a lot since the machine was so noisy. I have also heard of people being allowed to use headphones and listen to music, so check with the radiology department and see if earplugs or headphones will be available to you.

The harder part was waiting to hear the interpretation of the results, and then finding out that there was something that needed further investigation. Since this was just for screening in my case, and I hadn't found any suspicious lumps beforehand, I was able to be pretty peaceful about it up to that point. You may want to ask your doctor in advance about what s/he might find, how you will be notified, what follow-ups might be necessary, and what the timeframe for all of that would look like.

Again, in my opinion the experience of the actual MRI is not a problem at all, but if you tend to feel anxious or claustrophobic, you might want to learn some breathing & relaxation techniques to help you through that part of it. I hope it all goes well for you & the results are clean & clear!

[Anonymous]

I had a breast MRI at last year at 31. Looking back, it was probably unnecessary. I have no history of breast cancer but found a lump in my armpit. I have very dense breasts, so though the mammo and ultrasound looked clear, the specialist I referred to said it wouldn't hurt, if my insurance covered it.

It wasn't that bad. It was hard to lie still, but they played music and at it was only 20 minutes or so, and the tech communicated with me throughout.

One word of caution - I found that both techs doing the ultrasound and MRI were very cold. They get in "do my job" mode and they don't answer any questions, etc. I understand they aren't docs so they can't but their approach struck me as very cold and compassion-free. Their job is technical, I get that, I guess I just could never do that job if that is what it requires. I'm much more touchy-feely I guess.

Anyway, good luck to you. The actual procedure is not that bad.

[Anonymous]

I do these annually due to family history. I actually did fall asleep once. There's a warm sensation in your arm when the contrast fluid goes through the IV; otherwise you don't feel a thing.

I found the technicians matter-of-fact. However, unlike the mammogram folks, they're not women and feel less comfortable telling you exactly where to put your breasts (and they don't just do it for you). They go to great lengths to protect your privacy but still have to position your breasts. So if you're particularly modest, this could be a little uncomfortable.

[Anonymous]

Thanks so much guys. I am so nervous. I had a lump removed last year, it was benign. But there is so much cancer in my family and I've lost three close relatives to breast cancer. My breasts are dense too but I'm 40. I hope all goes well. Thanks again.

[zumbamama]

I've been imaged with ultrasound, mammo, and MRI—all for the breast. The MRI was the most informative and the other two were useless in my case.