Author Topic: 6 month MRI results - almost  (Read 3053 times)

Tisha

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6 month MRI results - almost
« on: July 31, 2009, 06:35:16 am »
I had my 6 month MRI 7/6/09.  I haven't posted because I'm waiting for an answer from Dr. Chang (had CK at Stanford), but I thought I'd go ahead a post anyway.

1 hour after my MRI, the neurotologist who diagnosed me (doesn't work on AN's as he's inexperienced in the area), called for an unrelated issue.  I told him I just had my MRI and he asked permission to go read it immediately online.  Wow, sure I said!

When diagnosed he measured if 1.7 x 1.0.  Dr. Chang measured it 1.6 x 1.1 and another Stanford Doc measured it 1.7 x 1.1 x .9.  So, with the margin of error, I was confident in the size of this tumor at the onset.

Local doc measured it now at the same measurements as before, and said he saw a little grey in the middle which probably indicates necrosis, but of course he deferred to Dr. Chang's expertise.  He said it looked like some slight swelling, but that can be microscopic and unreadable.

Dr. Chang's nurse e-mailed me 10 days after I sent the MRI and audiogram.  He measured it at 1.8 x 1.3 x 1.0.  Swelling, which I thought made more sense because of my sudden hearing loss in Feb, etc.  Since the margin of error can be up to 4 mm, this is considered stable. 

My audiogram hasn't changed since 4 months ago when my hearing loss came back, but I had medium loss in my high frequencies because of that.  Pre-ck, my hearing was darn near perfect in all frequencies.  So, even though it's not worse since that episode, to me I've lost hearing pre-ck...although not in the conversational frequencies.

The question that was not answered was about necrosis, so I'm waiting on his reply for that.

I have tinnitus in that ear now post-CK, but I could have eventually gotten than anyway even without it.  It really doesn't bug me at all, it's very soft constant static.

All in all, I'm pleased and am looking forward to the one year mark.

Tisha
1.7 x 1.0 x .9 cm (diagnosed Oct 2008)
1.8 x 1.2 x 1.1 cm  (July 2010-swelling)
1.5 x .9 x .9 cm  (Mar 2013 - 5 yr MRI)
Cyberknife at Stanford, week of 1/12/09 -  Drs. Chang and Soltys

sgerrard

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Re: 6 month MRI results - almost
« Reply #1 on: July 31, 2009, 08:43:04 am »
It sounds good to me, Trisha. It would be nice if CK was perfect and would restore all previous hearing, knock out the tinnitus, and quickly reduce the AN to a shadow of its former self. But realistically, we have to be happy if the tumor has stopped growing and the symptoms are not getting worse. I can live with that.

Congratulations on what looks like another CK success.

Steve
8 mm left AN June 2007,  CK at Stanford Sept 2007.
Hearing lasted a while, but left side is deaf now.
Right side is weak too. Life is quiet.

eab

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Re: 6 month MRI results - almost
« Reply #2 on: August 02, 2009, 09:30:17 pm »
I love reading about 3 successes right in a row - congratulations! and here's to more success and less side effects.

Beth
Left side AN 2.5x1.7x1.5cm, limited hearing loss, limited tin., good balance
GK 7/6/09 Hoag Hospital; MRIs at 2, 6 & 12 months show no change in tumor size - hearing etc. same as before GK.

Jim Scott

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Re: 6 month MRI results - almost
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2009, 03:54:59 pm »
Tish ~

Congratulations on your MRI results!  Thanks for letting us know the good news.  :)

Jim
4.5 cm AN diagnosed 5/06.  Retrosigmoid surgery 6/06.  Follow-up FSR completed 10/06.  Tumor shrinkage & necrosis noted on last MRI.  Life is good. 

Life is not the way it's supposed to be. It's the way it is.  The way we cope with it is what makes the difference.

GRACE1

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Re: 6 month MRI results - almost
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2009, 11:09:54 am »
Good news!!

Grace
Diagnosed 7/06: AN - right side: 1.3cm in transverse dimension, 6mm in AP dimension, and 6mm in cephalocaudal dimension.
GK 12/06- Wake Forest Univ Baptist Med Ctr
MRI 5/07- Some necrosis;  Now SSD
MRI 12/08- AN size has reduced 50%
MRI 12/11- AN stable (unchanged from 12/08)
Next MRI: 12/16

mk

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Re: 6 month MRI results - almost
« Reply #5 on: August 07, 2009, 06:51:31 pm »
Tisha,

Congratulations on the good news. It seems that overall you have been doing quite well. Let us know if Dr. Chang provides any more input.

Best wishes,
Marianna
GK on April 23rd 2008 for 2.9 cm AN at Toronto Western Hospital. Subsequent MRIs showed darkening initially, then growth. Retrosigmoid surgery on April 26th, 2011 with Drs. Akagami and Westerberg at Vancouver General Hospital. Graduallly lost hearing after GK and now SSD but no other issues.

Kathy M

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Re: 6 month MRI results - almost
« Reply #6 on: August 07, 2009, 07:01:18 pm »
Congrats!  I just love good news, too, and I'll bet it feels really good that it's about you.  Thanks for the update.

Kathy
AN diagnosed 11/14/08, 3+cm, Retrosigmoid 1/13/09, Univ. Hosp., Cincinnati, Drs. Tew and Pensak
no facial nerve or eye issues!
3 more surgeries related to staph infections & osteomylitis over next 13 months.  New diagnosis of breast cancer.  Treatment completed 08/27/10.  Moving on!!!