Wouldn't abdominal MRI detect tumors?

[dixiedad]

I had an abdominal ultrasound a month before my prostate biopsy, followed up by an abdominal MRI, both for an unrelated 'possible' condition. Turned out to be nothing and both scans showed "no remarkable" etc. in any area or organ. I would think the MRI would have caught any tumors, no?

[6357axbz]

I don’t think so. I say this because I was told only the psma pet/ct scan I had was able to detect my para-aortic (abdominal) tumor. The MRIs never did.

[Tall_Allen]

No. It takes some special kinds of MRIs - multiparametric MRIs (mpMRIs)- to detect prostate cancer. MpMRIs are actually 3 different kinds - T2 and DWI and DCE - the images are fused and read by a specially trained radiologist. He then assigns what is called a PIRADS score to any suspicious areas (on a scale of 1-5). Low grade and small tumors hardly show up at all. Even if an area gets a "5," it is only "highly suspicious" for PCa. It still has to be confirmed by a biopsy. Prostate tumors, unlike many other cancers, are usually small and multifocal.

[dixiedad in reply to Tall_Allen]

Ratz.

[Hobierat]

dixiedad, I grew up not far from you, I'm curious where are you are going for your testing? I am a Gleason 9 and about your age. I got 2nd and 3rd opinions including MD Anderson, Houston and highly recommend 2nd opinions.

[dixiedad in reply to Hobierat]

Dr. Frank Greskovich at The Woodlands in Pensacola.

I plan to get a second opinion from Johns Hopkins.

[Currumpaw]

Hey dixiedad!

Dr. Busch is one of the best in the business. He conservatively biopsies, none of the saturation type of biopsy. If he sees something he will biopsy, real time, in bore during the mp 3.0T MRI.

He is highly respected and sought after.

Busch Center Opens State-of-the-Art Prostate Cancer Facility

prweb.com/releases/busch_ce.....

Another excellent choice would be Dr. Karamanian in Texas. The same --a mp 3.0T MRI with in bore biopsy if necessary.

I have never spoken with ether of these doctors. I have followed their careers and what their patients have said about them.

Currumpaw

[dentaltwin]

I don't know specifically wrt prostate metastasis; if Tall_Allen says no, I'd assume he's right (he generally is). However, it's not rare at all to be looking for one thing and finding another (a so-called "incidentaloma"). A colleague a couple of years back had an MRI after suffering back pain. There was no mystery about the pain--he had a disc herniation here, there, and...what's this on your kidney?

He was very lucky--they didn't even have to take out the kidney after his cancer diagnosis, and he's doing well several years later.

[dixiedad]

Thanks. Keeping fingers crossed.

[j-o-h-n]

Time for a few ice cubes marinated in a serious amount of Scotch whiskey.

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n Wednesday 10/28/2020 2:46 PM DST