Hi all
Has anyone managed to get yearly/ bi-annual MRI instead of Mammo on the NHS (for the 5 years post diagnosis)? if not, can you pay privately but still remain in the NHS for everything else?
I have recently had a mastectomy after a tiny Grade 2/3 lump was detected only using MRI.This is my 2nd occurrence (first one 2008) and I was back on the 3 yearly screening programme. The mammo detected slght changes in another area of the breast . Ultrasound detected nothing . Fortunately ( and to my surprise) the radiologist agreed to an MRI as a bottom line check, when I said I’d had one before and have dense breast tissue. This detected a 0.6 mm lump in another area, which she then managed to needle test using U/S.
I feel very very lucky.Had she not agreed to this, I would have had a growing tumour for the next 3 years until my routine mammo. Likely mets and a much poorer prognosis.
If my Specialist breast care centre won’t agree to NHS MRI, I am prepared to pay for annual MRI privately if necessary. Does anyone have experience of how this works and how you go about it? I have one breast and one mastectomy with no recon.
Any advice appreciated. Any experience of the Nice guidelines on when MRI can be used for screening?
Many thanks
Helen