A year ago I had my tumor removed. It was 5mm by 8mm. I was told it was all gone.
Yesterday, I received my year follow-up MRI results.
IMPRESSION:
Post surgical changes are seen involving the left internal auditory canal. There is fat-packing material superior to the canal. However, there is a persistent 5 x 3 mm area of enhancement within the fundal portion of the internal auditory canal distally and inferiorly. This is consistent with a residual tumor versus recurrent tumor. The study with and without contrast is otherwise unremarkable.
Now, I am waiting for my neurologist to look at the images.
Does anyone have any experience with these kind of results?
Darlene
I can relate to your situation on one-year follow up. The thought of another surgery ? is well dare I say, "Worse as you are no longer ignorant." I hope by the time you have read this, your answer has come and is in your favor! Apparently reading the MRI's after surgery can be challenging and one can only hope it is in the patients favor. After my one-year "mess" up I have decided that if "it" shall return it will show up in more symptoms or the next MRI. One thing for sure, most AN's are slow growing giving one time to breathe.
My one-year follow up was a disaster in more ways than one. It took 7 weeks to get a doctor on the phone to give me my diagnosis. Once my MRI was taken I waited 2 weeks without a call from the surgeons office. I became pro-active, called inquiring about the MRI's and results. Turns out the place I had my MRI's taken at did not follow script order to mail films to the doctor. I asked doctor's assistant when I was going to be notified of this--thank God I called! Returning to the place I had my films at I acquired the radiologists report and it read pretty much the same as yours. I was shocked and for the first time ever I had a very long and loud cry. The thought of going through this all over again....! After a few days passed, the office calls telling me the films arrived and "when the doctor gets into the office, he will call you back." I gave him one week and heard nothing and this began my everyother day of phone calls to his assistant only to get the same canned answer. Frustrated with this I called my other surgeon to ask that he take over. A few days passed w/o word from him, so I decided to email the first surgeon asking how long it will take before I hear from him. His response was instantanious! Miracle! It was also rude, short and basically explaining he was busy with other patients more serious and that he was waiting to meet with neuro-radiologist to read films, but since I emailed and showed impatience he was cancelling the meeting and would pass everything on to my other surgeon! WOW! Talk about taking your toys with you and leaving when you don't like the game. What an empty feeling. Felt very abandoned to say the least. I finally heard two weeks later from my other surgeon. He apologized for his colleague and began to give me my one-year MRI follow up report.
Turns out what is seen on the MRI is the fat used to pack the empty space made by removing the tumor. WHEW! I felt better, unfortunately I missed out on a wonderful 50th birthday celebration due to the miscommunication regarding return of my tumor. Turns out my kids had given me a birthday gift they remembered I said I wanted prior to diagnosis that when I turn 50--to jump out of an airplane. My husband cancelled my birthday and put off making reservations to leave town as we were thinking my tumor had returned. He even stayed off the phone for one week so I didn't miss my doctors call, which cost him $$ as he uses the phone for business. Of course I could not vent my frustrations to my doctors as they heaped upon me the fact that there were more serious patients to deal with. I certainly agree with them, but....
My one-year mess up was not over as I went to see a neurologist in town to help me with my headaches. He wanted to see my MRI's and one quick look at mine he without a doubt said my tumor had returned. I wasn't shocked, but understood how the fat can be mistaken for the tumor so I told him a neuro-radiologist had already seen them. To which he said one doesn't need such a specialist to know my tumor had returned. I insisted he show me what he was seeing and then the shock hit me. So another MRI was taken and read by a different neuro-radiologist. Of course, this 2nd MRI report stated the "brightness" is consistent with the fat plug. SIGH! From December 28, 2005 until May, 2006 my husband and I had been under tremendous stress. Now one can understand why I call this my one-year mess up!
I have surrendered to this AN, it's post-surgery symptoms and the medical profession. I have better things to do than give this anymore of my attention. My last doctor visit I told my husband the next time I have to see another doctor will be because I'm unconscious! Letting go is the best medicine for me. I am happy to respond to others' concerns regarding their situation knowing it can help. My one-year "mess" up is extreme and I know there is another story on the other end of this spectrum. It is up to us to find the balance between the two.
