Question about clips and MRIs

austingrl
austingrl Member Posts: 45
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi, again, everyone;

A friend and I were discussing the placement of clips, which they did with me yesterday. She said she was told an MRI could not be done when you have a clip. She mentioned that hers had migrated somehow, so that it was basically useless for marking areas that had been biopsied. What have you heard, if anything?

Thanks!!
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Comments

  • Akiss4me
    Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
    #2
    Clips...
    Not sure if this will help....I have a clip. I was told they are made of "titanian" so as not to interfer with an MRI since the magnets on the machine will not effect it. It can not be "pulled" by the force. As far as migrating....don't know about that but it does sound possible to me? I was told that I would not even notice the clip was there (had put in 5-20) but that doesn't seem to be the case. Either my body is rejecting it or I have scar tissue forming around it because I know it is there and it pinches sometimes with certain ways I move and is still very sore in the area. I will address this Tuesday when I go back to the doc. I guess a better way to put it is that it is very annoying...not something I would want left in all the time at this point. Most people I have talked to do not seem to have a problem with them though. :) Pammy
  • Kit1018
    Kit1018 Member Posts: 48
    #3
    Akiss4me said:

    Clips...
    Not sure if this will help....I have a clip. I was told they are made of "titanian" so as not to interfer with an MRI since the magnets on the machine will not effect it. It can not be "pulled" by the force. As far as migrating....don't know about that but it does sound possible to me? I was told that I would not even notice the clip was there (had put in 5-20) but that doesn't seem to be the case. Either my body is rejecting it or I have scar tissue forming around it because I know it is there and it pinches sometimes with certain ways I move and is still very sore in the area. I will address this Tuesday when I go back to the doc. I guess a better way to put it is that it is very annoying...not something I would want left in all the time at this point. Most people I have talked to do not seem to have a problem with them though. :) Pammy

    The ones they put in me was
    The ones they put in me was made of titanum also. Mine last year before they took it out with the lumpectomy did not bother me. Although the healing from the biopsies does hurt for a while, during the healing process, I remember it hurting for a while last year. I had the biopsy in May last year and surgey in june of last year.
  • austingrl
    austingrl Member Posts: 45
    #4
    Akiss4me said:

    Clips...
    Not sure if this will help....I have a clip. I was told they are made of "titanian" so as not to interfer with an MRI since the magnets on the machine will not effect it. It can not be "pulled" by the force. As far as migrating....don't know about that but it does sound possible to me? I was told that I would not even notice the clip was there (had put in 5-20) but that doesn't seem to be the case. Either my body is rejecting it or I have scar tissue forming around it because I know it is there and it pinches sometimes with certain ways I move and is still very sore in the area. I will address this Tuesday when I go back to the doc. I guess a better way to put it is that it is very annoying...not something I would want left in all the time at this point. Most people I have talked to do not seem to have a problem with them though. :) Pammy

    Thanks
    Thanks, Kit and Pammy! Kit, how do you feel this morning?
  • Jeanne D
    Jeanne D Member Posts: 1,867
    #5
    Akiss4me said:

    Clips...
    Not sure if this will help....I have a clip. I was told they are made of "titanian" so as not to interfer with an MRI since the magnets on the machine will not effect it. It can not be "pulled" by the force. As far as migrating....don't know about that but it does sound possible to me? I was told that I would not even notice the clip was there (had put in 5-20) but that doesn't seem to be the case. Either my body is rejecting it or I have scar tissue forming around it because I know it is there and it pinches sometimes with certain ways I move and is still very sore in the area. I will address this Tuesday when I go back to the doc. I guess a better way to put it is that it is very annoying...not something I would want left in all the time at this point. Most people I have talked to do not seem to have a problem with them though. :) Pammy

    Hey austingrl
    I had a titanium chip put in me during the ultrasound guided core biopsy earlier this year to show up in future mammograms as an area that was to be watched. And, since it was titanium, it would not have any effect on a future MRI. However, it turned out that I had bc again, so, the titanium chip was removed during the wire guided lumpectomy. I have a picture of it. They gave me a copy of the tumor where you can see the titanium chip. It is kind of cool actually, the picture. Hope this helped you some. Jeanne

    p.s. oh, the titanium chip in me looks like a really tiny wishbone. or, kind of like the pink ribbon. coincidental???
  • austingrl
    austingrl Member Posts: 45
    #6
    Jeanne D said:

    Hey austingrl
    I had a titanium chip put in me during the ultrasound guided core biopsy earlier this year to show up in future mammograms as an area that was to be watched. And, since it was titanium, it would not have any effect on a future MRI. However, it turned out that I had bc again, so, the titanium chip was removed during the wire guided lumpectomy. I have a picture of it. They gave me a copy of the tumor where you can see the titanium chip. It is kind of cool actually, the picture. Hope this helped you some. Jeanne

    p.s. oh, the titanium chip in me looks like a really tiny wishbone. or, kind of like the pink ribbon. coincidental???

    Thanks Jeanne
    Thanks Jeanne, it does help. Soemone else here astually called it a ribbon instead of a clip ( KyleZ?)
  • Kylez
    Kylez Member Posts: 3,761 Member
    #7
    austingrl said:

    Thanks Jeanne
    Thanks Jeanne, it does help. Soemone else here astually called it a ribbon instead of a clip ( KyleZ?)

    Nope
    Nope, it wasn't me. I didn't have a titanium chip implanted in me. But, I know others that have. I assumed it would just be a small circle, but, I guess not from what others here said. Would it set off the alarm in an airport? lol
  • Kit1018
    Kit1018 Member Posts: 48
    #8
    Kylez said:

    Nope
    Nope, it wasn't me. I didn't have a titanium chip implanted in me. But, I know others that have. I assumed it would just be a small circle, but, I guess not from what others here said. Would it set off the alarm in an airport? lol

    lol
    that would be funny "I
    lol
    that would be funny "I am sorry that I set off the metal detector my breast has a ribbion in it you know"
    no it wont set off metal detectors lol
  • jk1952
    jk1952 Member Posts: 613
    #9
    Kylez said:

    Nope
    Nope, it wasn't me. I didn't have a titanium chip implanted in me. But, I know others that have. I assumed it would just be a small circle, but, I guess not from what others here said. Would it set off the alarm in an airport? lol

    MRI after clips

    Although I have had clips that were then removed with a lumpectomy, I did have at least one that was in place when I had an MRI. And, the surgeon had planned to have an MRI done on an annual basis, so the clip didn't seem to cause a problem.

    Joyce
  • CR1954
    CR1954 Member Posts: 1,390 Member
    #10
    I had a.........
    I had a clip placed during MRI guided biopsy last July, on my other breast because there was something showing there.
    I also had another MRI of that breast (clip in) this past February.

    CR
  • Kat11
    Kat11 Member Posts: 1,931 Member
    #11
    Akiss4me said:

    Clips...
    Not sure if this will help....I have a clip. I was told they are made of "titanian" so as not to interfer with an MRI since the magnets on the machine will not effect it. It can not be "pulled" by the force. As far as migrating....don't know about that but it does sound possible to me? I was told that I would not even notice the clip was there (had put in 5-20) but that doesn't seem to be the case. Either my body is rejecting it or I have scar tissue forming around it because I know it is there and it pinches sometimes with certain ways I move and is still very sore in the area. I will address this Tuesday when I go back to the doc. I guess a better way to put it is that it is very annoying...not something I would want left in all the time at this point. Most people I have talked to do not seem to have a problem with them though. :) Pammy

    Clip
    I have a clip in me. Then I had the MRI. The clip is titanian and thats fine for an MRI. They will remove the clip in surgery. You won't send off any alarms.
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #12
    Kat11 said:

    Clip
    I have a clip in me. Then I had the MRI. The clip is titanian and thats fine for an MRI. They will remove the clip in surgery. You won't send off any alarms.

    I had the titanium clip or
    I had the titanium clip or chip put in me too during the core biopsy. But, it was taken out during surgery for my lumpectomy. It didn't hurt to have it put in. They numbed my boob and then I had great pain pills for afterwords if I needed them. lol
  • Eil4186
    Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
    #13
    Akiss4me said:

    Clips...
    Not sure if this will help....I have a clip. I was told they are made of "titanian" so as not to interfer with an MRI since the magnets on the machine will not effect it. It can not be "pulled" by the force. As far as migrating....don't know about that but it does sound possible to me? I was told that I would not even notice the clip was there (had put in 5-20) but that doesn't seem to be the case. Either my body is rejecting it or I have scar tissue forming around it because I know it is there and it pinches sometimes with certain ways I move and is still very sore in the area. I will address this Tuesday when I go back to the doc. I guess a better way to put it is that it is very annoying...not something I would want left in all the time at this point. Most people I have talked to do not seem to have a problem with them though. :) Pammy

    I have one. I have never
    I have one. I have never felt it or have been bothered by it. I never heard of them migrating though.
  • Derbygirl
    Derbygirl Member Posts: 198
    #14
    My clip migrated at the time
    My clip migrated at the time of placement following an ultrasound guided biopsy and the doctor showed it to me on film (he didn't know why it moved). It was removed at my request during the lumpectomy since it wasn't serving a purpose. It was close to the tumor so no big deal. While the clip was in, I had an MRI and no one mentioned a problem with that. Hope this helps.
  • austingrl
    austingrl Member Posts: 45
    #15
    Derbygirl said:

    My clip migrated at the time
    My clip migrated at the time of placement following an ultrasound guided biopsy and the doctor showed it to me on film (he didn't know why it moved). It was removed at my request during the lumpectomy since it wasn't serving a purpose. It was close to the tumor so no big deal. While the clip was in, I had an MRI and no one mentioned a problem with that. Hope this helps.

    It does
    It does help. Thanks, Derby. I just hope the thing is really in there after what I went through with them trying to dislodge it from the end of the syringe. That was the worst part of the whole ordeal.
  • austingrl
    austingrl Member Posts: 45
    #16
    Kit1018 said:

    The ones they put in me was
    The ones they put in me was made of titanum also. Mine last year before they took it out with the lumpectomy did not bother me. Although the healing from the biopsies does hurt for a while, during the healing process, I remember it hurting for a while last year. I had the biopsy in May last year and surgey in june of last year.

    Surgical tape
    Hey, Kit...how's that surgical tape workin for ya? Mine itches like crazy, but I ain't about to yank it off!!! And how are you feeling overall?
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    #17
    Clips??????
    Ok, I realize that being a 6 year survivor things have changed, including my memory, but what clips??? If I had one I don't remember it~ what are they????

    Thanks and Hugs!

    Claudia
  • austingrl
    austingrl Member Posts: 45
    #18
    chenheart said:

    Clips??????
    Ok, I realize that being a 6 year survivor things have changed, including my memory, but what clips??? If I had one I don't remember it~ what are they????

    Thanks and Hugs!

    Claudia

    What they are
    Hey, Chen;

    They are very small titanium markers that are placed in areas that have been biopsied, for future references when radiologists are reading your mammograms, ultrasounds, MRIs, etc. At least I think. If anyone can add anything to this, please be my guest:)
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    #19
    austingrl said:

    What they are
    Hey, Chen;

    They are very small titanium markers that are placed in areas that have been biopsied, for future references when radiologists are reading your mammograms, ultrasounds, MRIs, etc. At least I think. If anyone can add anything to this, please be my guest:)

    Clips
    Hmmmm... I wonder, if I didn't know about clips, if this means I never had one? Or I did and it was removed? Or do they stay forever? Or do they dissolve? These are rhetorical questions; of course you don't know if I ever had a clip! But I have had MRIs and mammos etc etc and no one ever said anything! But I think ( if I remember HA!) I will ask the Dr on my next visit.

    Thanks for the info!

    Hugs,
    Claudia
  • Akiss4me
    Akiss4me Member Posts: 2,188
    #20
    chenheart said:

    Clips
    Hmmmm... I wonder, if I didn't know about clips, if this means I never had one? Or I did and it was removed? Or do they stay forever? Or do they dissolve? These are rhetorical questions; of course you don't know if I ever had a clip! But I have had MRIs and mammos etc etc and no one ever said anything! But I think ( if I remember HA!) I will ask the Dr on my next visit.

    Thanks for the info!

    Hugs,
    Claudia

    You'll know!!
    Next time you go for mammo...if you have one it will look like a piece of metal like this: ===== (shown actual size!!) in your boobie!! Can't miss it. :) Pammy
  • chenheart
    chenheart Member Posts: 5,159
    #21
    Akiss4me said:

    You'll know!!
    Next time you go for mammo...if you have one it will look like a piece of metal like this: ===== (shown actual size!!) in your boobie!! Can't miss it. :) Pammy

    you mean that wasn't mini train tracks in there?????
    You are right, I sooo would have known about that! LOL I will thus assume I didn't get clips becuse I didn't need clips! Thanks again!

    Hugs,
    Claudia

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