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[quote=Anonymous]Another breast cancer patient here, stage III by the time a biopsy finally found it. I will never go back to Washington Radiology - where I've diligently done all my regular screening mammograms for years. I had two diagnostic mammograms and an MRI from WRA - none detected the large tumor I could feel myself.

I also love the MedStar Georgetown doctors and feel so lucky that my primary care physician sent me to them.

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I got called back after my mammogram due to "focal asymmetry."  My OB wasn't worried and it's quite common.  I went in for another mammogram and ultrasound and the radiologist told me there is a bit of thicker tissue.  She didn't see anything on the ultrasound but said I should get a biopsy.  I am absolutely beside myself.  I can't find much information about biopsies where there isn't a lump.  Anyone been through this???

Also, I had this done at Washington Radiology and I found everyone I dealt with to be exceptionally cold.  I know doctors aren't therapists, but they have to know how terrifying it is to go through this and there was very little explanation given for anything.[/quote]

FWIW, I did not like WRA.  I had my mammograms done there for years, which were always clear.  I don't want to go into the details, but it is clear to me that I had at least 2 mammograms there which missed my cancer.  Fortunately, I was insistent about a lump and got a follow up ultra-sound there, but it was also poorly done because it focused on the palpable lump I identified and did not even look at the rest of the breast (where there were other palpable lumps visible on subsequent US done at Medstar, one of which turned out to be cancerous).  I was also frustrated that they basically refused to give me access to a key pathology document that I had to ask for multiple times, they seemed to think the doctor call was enough. It was not. No one processes surprising oral information well. Plus, the doctor did not fully report what the pathology report said, leaving out important information.

By coincidence in the middle of all this I had an annual exam with my primary doc who referred me to Medstar colleagues at the Medstar/Georgetown breast center. I switched to getting all my diagnostic imaging (more US and breast MRI) there and it was a MUCH better experience than WRA.  WRA had been slow to schedule follow ups, offering me appointments weeks apart.  By contrast, Medstar staff were calling me and offering me appointments within days. Because the Medstar Georgetown Breast Center is so integrated, I was handed back and forth between specialties quickly and my whole experience from initial appointment through all diagnostic imaging and to final surgery was less than 2 months. The radiologist who did the biopsies post US & MRI explained to me right away what was happening and even pulled me into her office and showed me MRI images of my biopsy spots and gently broke the news that I might start thinking about a mastectomy instead of lumpectomy.

I had cancer, but I clearly caught it early, no thanks to WRA. [/quote][/quote]

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