Hi, i havent posted on here in quite a while, but i thought i would share my experience and hopefully you will find it helpful. i was dx in Nov 2011. i found a small lump myself. was referred to breast clinic. i had mammo, ultrasound, then biopsy taken. The Mammo didnt show up my lump. They could see on the ultrasound what i could feel and they could feel it as well. i assume the radiologist didnt like the look of it, (they had said it didnt look like a cyst on ultra sound which everyone initially thought it was on their examination by gp, breast doctor etc). Anyway biopsy came back grade 1. i went onto have lumpectomy. they removed lump but one of margins wasnt clear. so had further op. second op to clear margin, found 2 more tiny spots, literally 3mm of cells. went onto third op to clear margin, yet again tiny area of some cells. at this point i agreed with my surgeon i wanted a mx. following mx rest was clear. i was 39 at the time so young really in terms of breast cancer. they said annual mammos upto 50 then move onto national programme if everything ok. i had already mentioned about having mri instead which they said wouldnt be necessary. Anyway i didnt let it drop and consultant surgeon said she would speak with radiologist who looked at my orginal mammo. obviously i was basing my argument on the fact that the mammo didnt show the original lump, which wasnt that small when it came out, but then the further small areas of cells. which i think were 3, 4 and 7 mm each. anyway they did agree i could have an annual mri. i still have an annual mammo as well. the mri i have is with a contrast dye on my remaining breast. dont get me wrong i hate having it, its not very pleasant, your in there upto an hour having scans, you have a cannula in your hand connected up for when they put contrast dye in, then they do series of more scans. (the dye makes me feel a bit funny, i seem to react a bit to it, typical, but i know what to expect now) but i am glad i didnt let it drop. obvioulsy the younger you are, the more likely you have denser breast i think, some more than others i presume. My BCN did say once i was on tamoxifen my breast would become less dense and pert and more in a menapausal state, which it is! I would keep on at them. if you feel you have a good basis for an argument to have mri, you've got your facts together then put it to them. I hope this was helpful to you, take care and lots of hugs xxx
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