Biopsy or MRI first ?

User

Posted 30 Nov 2015 at 18:38

I had my biopsy in June and was given my diagnosis in July, Localised Cancer.Gleason 3+3.

Recently had another blood test and MRI,which has shown cancer contained within prostrate,nothing in Lymph Nodes or bones.

However it also picked up a couple of iffy areas within the prostrate which were not found by the biopsy.So now I am to have a second biopsy targetted at the iffy areas.

Dealing with a second biopsy will not be too much ,but surely if the MRI was done first then only one targetted biopsy would have been needed.

Is it always done this way or is it a matter of cost, presumably if the first biopsy finds nothing then an MRI in not done.

User

Posted 30 Nov 2015 at 19:02

My first TRUS biopsy and MRI were given as a package at the same time in the same hospital on the same day. Both failed to detect a serious cancer growing. It took a CT , template biopsy and another targeted TRUS to find it. I suspect the TRUS procedure is relatively cheap compared to an MRI scan , so they are tempted to do that first. Also in many areas the wait for a scan is lengthy whereas my TRUS was done by an ultrasound nurse in 15 minutes
All the best
Chris

If life gives you lemons , then make lemonade

User

Posted 30 Nov 2015 at 19:53

Hello Perkij,

My experience of treatment is somewhat historic, my "Journey" began in March 2013.

I was told then that ideally you would have an MRI first, and then a biopsy. If you had the biopsy first the prostate would need time to recover from being treated like an archery target so as not too distort the gland and mess about with the MRI imaging. Subsequently I learned that reading the MRI is a bit of a dark art, depending on who is looking, and at what. It alone is not in any way conclusive of anything, good or bad.

Your initial biopsy sounds like a general "stab in the dark", and see what comes up? Are you about to have a targeted biopsy?

Bear in mind that the only way to ascertain what is going on and how affected you are/were is when the gland is in a dish in a lab being sliced up by a technician.

FWIW I don't believe cost comes into it so much with PCa, not so much anyway, as it might do with other areas of health.

atb

dave

Do all you can to help yourself, then make the best of your time. :-)

User

Posted 30 Nov 2015 at 20:27

You are right Couñtryboy my first biopsy was random.
Twelve samples taken of which eleven were clear and one had cancer.
My second biopsy is to be targetted at areas of concern found by the MRI.
I think I new the answer re cost. Just having a bit of a moan I guess.

User

Posted 30 Nov 2015 at 21:14

Ah well, having a moan is all good moan is fine here, and good that you can. We all feel like having a moan when we get the news.

But your situation is better than very many here, worse than only a few. And when we are in this ballpark, those small victories are worth clinging to.

atb

dave

Edited by member 30 Nov 2015 at 23:06 | Reason: Not specified

Do all you can to help yourself, then make the best of your time. :-)

User

Posted 30 Nov 2015 at 22:48

Hi Perkij,

All I can say is that for me personally after my blood test I was not told anything except that I would need an MRI scan and a bone scan. At my meeting with the urologist I was told that they would be taking twelve targeted bi-opsies, so in my case there was not an option but I had scant first.

Seems the logical thing to do as the bi-opsies taken before would have been totally random and a shot in the dark with a negative result not proving anything one way or another.

Cheers, Chris/Woody

Life seems different upside down, take another viewpoint

User

Posted 18 Dec 2015 at 21:43

I had my MRI first then after a suspicious MRI, I had a Template biopsy but due to time lapsing, now having a bone scam

User

Posted 19 Dec 2015 at 06:05

I had the TRUS biopsy first from 12 places which came back Gleason 9, scans showed high grade cancer, I sometimes have wondered with the way I have been treated (or not treated) that they have already made the decision that their is not a lot they can or want to do
my last visit with onco who said if you do not want to complete the 6 cycles of chemo than you do not have to, now these 6 cycles of docetaxel chemo have come from the stampede trial as being one of the best ways to extend my life
our local health service have stated their will be a 12million shortfall in their budget and at times I feel they are trying to save what they can where they can
when I eventually finish my chemo I will be looking to move nottingham if the onco their will still have, already met with him
do not have a lot of faith in my local cancer hospital

regards
nidge

run long and prosper

'pooh how do you spell love'

'piglet you dont spell love -you just feel it'

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