So here is the MRI pic, if this works

[Jim Scott]

Danielle ~

Whew!  I'm glad for your sake that the waiting is over.  I didn't realize that you had already been diagnosed with an acoutic neuroma and that this MRI was performed in order to define the size and location.  Still, at least you have the information you need.  As I've stated previously, I'm not a doctor but I have to question your doctor's comments about radiation being 'inflammatory'.  Radiation treatments usually do cause tumor swelling, which I suspect is what the doctor meant, but surgery is only performed if the radiation fails to arrest the tumor's growth, which is a small risk, at best, and the surgery wouldn't normally be attempted on a tumor that was swollen.  Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (associated with Harvard Medical School) is a fine facility that other AN patients posting here have used. Their Dr. McKenna is very popular with some of our Massachusetts-based posters.  Here is link to the Mass Eye &Ear Infirmary website: http://www.masseyeandear.org/.   I hope your AN 'journey' will be a realtively smooth one from this point, on.  Please keep us updated.  Thanks.

Jim

[inmaine724]

Thanks Jim.  I'm confused about the radiation thing as well.  I'm sure I'll know better once I go to Boston.  I'm very surprised I'm not "watch and wait".  It's so small...it doesn't make sense to me.

Thank you!
...Danielle

[leapyrtwins]

I asked about radiation and he said they generally don't do radiation in people who are surgical candidates because it can cause an 'incredible inflammatory process'??  What does that mean!??  

Good question.  When I was diagnosed my AN was 1.5 cm and I was given the choice of surgery or radiation by my neurotologist who performs both.  So I was a surgical candidate as well as a radiation candidate.

I've never heard of "incredible inflammatory process".

IMO, (and granted it, it's just my opinion since I am not a doctor) you could watch & wait.  Your AN is so small that unless it is causing you huge issues that are compromising your quality of life it's my feeling that you could leave it alone for a while. 

Jan

[Sue Vogel]

Again...no medical doctor here, but I am a science teacher and have seen quite a few scans.  Mine looked like it was ready to tee off on the 18th, so there was really nothing to discuss.  It had to go - soon.  But I know ANers with very small ones who still had similar symptoms and results as the rest of us with bigger ones.  So.....size doesn't always matter - at least not JUST size.  It's more like real estate...location, location, location.  Your surgeons will know best.  Good luck.

SUE