MRI results in. A question.- UPDATE

swopoe
swopoe Member Posts: 492
edited March 2016 in Head and Neck Cancer #1

My husband had his MRI last week On 2/23. It was his first follow up scan since his rads, chemo, and surgery for stage 1 tongue cancer. The MRI was taken at about 5.5 weeks out from finishing the rads. 

We were supposed to meet with the rad onc this coming week on 3/3 to go over the results, but things have been really stressful at home (I had to fly out of town 2 days ago for a family emergency), so my husband called, and the PA went over the results on the phone with my husband yesterday. 

The neck/nodes are all clear, as is the tongue, which is great news. The only thing that shows is some thickening of tissue on the right side of the neck near the jaw line. My husband is still a bit swollen there, and he has been since treatment. The PA said that it is likely scar tissue and due to healing from treatment (that is also the side of his neck dissection). But they don't have anything to compare the MRI to, as this is his first MRI. So they are having him do another CT scan this coming week to compare it to previous scans to be on the safe side. The rad onc did a scan in early January half way through rads to make sure the preplanning for rads was still fine (standard procedure), and everything looked good at that time. Plus we have the scans from late October at diagnosis and the planning rads scan from early December. None of them ever showed anything there. (My husband's cancer was confined to the tongue; that was why it was stage 1.)

Any thoughts?

 

update- Finally talked to the rad onc today after he read the reports and scans. He said that the scans were unimpressive and they look typical of someone who has undergone radiation treatment.  He said that nothing on the scan is concerning to him. The tongue and neck are all clear. So he said to cancel the order for the cat scan and my husband will get scanned in a few months as the ENT sees fit (he is the one going to do our surveillance). So, we are good. We meet with the onc on Thursday for a checkup and then will hopefully set up and appt to get the port and PEG removed and then we meet the ENT on 3/10 and the rad onc for a checkup the following week. We are so happy and relieved that everything is ok. My husband feels great, looks great, hasn't used the PEG in 2 weeks, and it appears the treatment has worked. What a relief. 

Comments

  • the_wife
    the_wife Member Posts: 184
    #2
    What the PA told you makes

    What the PA told you makes sense to me - he's still healing and it could be scar tissue? My hubby didn't have surgery, so I can't add any insight. 

    Try not to worry too much. I know - easier said than done! This might be a good time to binge watch some movies to try to get your mind off things. Distraction is what works for me when I'm waiting for tests and results. It does sound like they are really watching him carefully, so that's a good thing! 

    Keep us posted!

  • JM0377
    JM0377 Member Posts: 18
    #3
    Post-radiation MRI

    I just had my first MRI after radiation in January. My ENT doc said "Yep, looks like someone who has had radiation." I still don't know exactly what that meant; but between he and my radiation oncologist, there wasn't anything concerning. :) I know I have thickening of the tissue because I can feel it vs what my neck felt like after surgery. 

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #4
    All Clear

    That sounds like some really great news, congratulations to you both.

     

    Tim

  • MrsBD
    MrsBD Member Posts: 617 Member
    #5
    Thickening from radiation

    Thickening from radiation seems to be quite common. My last treatment was almost 17 months ago. At the last ENT visit, he noted thickening of my tongue  and sent me for a PET scan where they also saw it. After having another PET scan three months later, they pronounced it stable and said it was radiation related. They do like to keep close tabs on us and will find problems very early, so we don't need to worry (much).

  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #6
    Thoughts.....YES and all Good.

    I have seen many reports over the years, and had to look up what they ment. We had some very bad doctors around 30 years ago so I had to look up some. All my doctors are good and they know I take ownership on my treatment and work with them so I get the best results.When I go for my Neck check up the doctor tells me it's all good, and I get the same report he files and sends to my doctors.

    Being radiated will show some thicking as the tissue has changed and a little tougher from the radiation. To me, this is good news and nothing was found. Thicking would be normal and not cause any concern. Every time I get a lung x-ray, MRI, CT, it always shows thicking from scar tissue and damage as I smoked and had Valley Feaver which unless you live in the southern central Valley of California or Phoenix, you never heard of it. 

    I think you should kick back and take a deep breath, and both relax and enjoy "Life". Welcome to the "New Him".

    Bill

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