My last MRCP

[Guest guest]

I haven't been around much. I changed jobs, moved, husband got a new

job also AND he's still a full time student.

I know this place is always so full of love and encouragement, and

frankly, I really need some tonight.

I had an MRCP last Monday. On Friday they called me back because

they " just wanted a couple more sequences " . They said everything was

fine, no problems, just wanted to be thorough. I have been around

long enough to know that is NOT what was going on. Something wasn't

right. I got a copy of my final report and it's talking about

intrahepatic air, an enlarged portal triad " reminiscent of

noncontrast enhanced MRI in the setting of biliary inflammation or

even neoplasm. This non-contrast-enhanced appearance can be seen

with sclerosing cholangitis or with cholangiocarcinoma "

I realize that it's a whole bunch of " maybes " and " don't really know

yets " but all I can see is the C word.

The rest of the report details a bunch of dilations and strictures

that weren't there last year. Throw in a couple filling defects and

the fact that I'm a nurse, and I'm a mess.

The radiologist recommends an ERCP to get some histalogic samples and

higher resolution images.

To all of you out there who have been there, what is the real value

of histlogic samples? I thought that the brushings were notoriously

insensitive. I read somewhere that with certain kinds of strictures,

only 20% of cholangiocarcinomas actually yield cancerous brushings.

For that kind of result, is it really worth the risk of infection

with the ERCP?

I go see my doctor tomorrow. MY GI doc has taken great care of me,

but I'm thinking that if it's time to go digging around in my bile

ducts, it's time to switch to a hepatologist. Methodist in Dallas

has a liver center. Anyone know much about it?

[Guest guest]

I hate it when they call you back. My heart hurts for you.

My husband, was diagnosed in April 2007 with CCa from a brushing

off an ERCP at the University of Utah. Our hepatologist was as shocked

to find cancer as we were. There were no other indications that he had

cancer, no lesions or even severe strictures. The ERCP was totally

worth the early diagnoses and we are so grateful to have a good

hepatologist.

Granted, it is true, the dr must brush right on the cancer to yield a

positive cancerous brushing, but if there is ANY question you want

those images and you want those brushings. The implications that you

might have CCa are, at the very least, sobering. The need to know

supercedes any risk of infection.

Don't pray for them to not find cancer. Pray that if there is cancer

they will find it, and find it early. Early diagnoses is the only way

to survive CCa.

My prayers are with you. Keep us posted.

Franson

[Guest guest]

Wow....I never thought about it that way. Thank you so much for

giving me another way to mentally frame this overwhelming stuff.

I feel a lot better about things. I have relaxed, slept, and chilled

a lot. :-)

My diagnoses of Crohn's came right before Thanksgiving last year.

The PSC diagnosis came about 10 days later. I went through all of

Christmas feeling scared, anxious, and sad. Because of some family

history of death from these diseases, I couldn't bear to tell my mom

right before Christmas.

I am NOT going to let this stuff mess with my holidays this year. I

have DECIDED!! :-)

It's almost Thanksgiving...I'd just like to say how thankful I am

that this group is here for me. Thanks to ALL of you.

> (snip)

> Don't pray for them to not find cancer. Pray that if there is cancer

> they will find it, and find it early. Early diagnoses is the only

way

> to survive CCa.

>

> My prayers are with you. Keep us posted.

>

> Franson

>