I had an MRI a few years ago to check my bile duct. They didn't have earplugs I could wear because they wanted me to wear headphones to hear the tech tell me when to breath and hold. They sure didn't help. One time I thought they machine broke down. sure wish there was a faster way of performing an MRI.
I always thought if someone could invent a great easy colon prep and an MRI machine that is quick and still be precise, they would be a billionaire.
Kind of wondering why the hosp would use their own US from 2013 instead of getting a copy of the latest one from Cleveland to compare from 2015. So obviously now Dr B doesn't said he cant make heads or tails from their report. so he is doing the MRI since he didnt see what they saw from my US 6 mos ago at CC. so off a I go for the MRI. He said he didnt think it was anything to worry about like cancer but that it was something we need to keep an eye on.
The radiologist also mentioned rib shadows in thin people..which I never heard of before....and I have fatty liver also.
I appreciate that. I never saw it worded like that before.
Hope you are doing well.
Have a nice evening Hector....
called Cleveland Clinic and made an appt for 5/6 for the MRI then see the hep at Cleveland Clinic on June 27th. wish I knew how to relax during those MRI's.
Thank you Hector...we now have a CC satellite hospital here in Akron and my hepatologist gave me a name of a gastro/hep affiliated with them that he knows is very good and that he went to school with. His name is Dr Reynaldo Gacad. He said it would be perfectly fine if I wanted to see him at Akron General.
I get my US's done at CC every 6 mos along with bloodwork..the last one at CC in Sept 2015... except for this last time since my hep was going to be on vacation. They compared this US with the one in 2013 (the last one I had there when I was dx'd).
I also wondered what the "clinical indication: Hepatitis B" meant on the report.
Thank you Hector.
First, a US from 2013 is too old to be of any practical use in a cirrhotic patient. That is why we have them done every 3, 6 months to see the difference over that time period where changes (HCC, changes in liver size, etc.) can be seen.
Secondly, getting a US a month of two later or early than at exactly 6 months makes no difference in a person who has no indication of HCC.
Besides those points….
I would follow the reports recommendation.
“findings prompt for non contrast and contrast enhanced CT for further characterization” to assess “Increasing complex cystic lesion in right lobe with new immediately adjacent cystic lesion”.
Cyts are best and diagnosed using ultrasound (US) or with a CT scan. Liver cysts are thin-walled sacs filled with air, fluids, or semi-solid material. Liver cysts occur in approximately 5% of people. The majority of cysts are benign and have no impact on a person’s health.
Cleveland Clinic knows how to properly diagnose or rule out HCC other liver masses in a cirrhotic patients. Other hospitals may or may not. Certainly Cleveland Clinic is one of the most expert intuitions in liver disease in the entire country. Mixing scans from two different sources from years apart can only add confusion to everything. Cirrhosis of the liver is a highly complex disease and requires lots of resources for the best care. Other hospitals that don’t not liver transplant clinics are not at the same level of expertise in managing advanced liver disease.
Your GP is no expert in the diagnosis of liver masses.
My recommendation is to follow up with Cleveland Clinic (with the best liver experts in the country) and get another scan to rule out any concerns. Waiting a month or two will make no difference.
Good luck.
Hector