MRI Results – Possible brain Met
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MRI Results – Possible brain Met

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › MRI Results – Possible brain Met

  • Post
    • August 5, 2011 at 7:34 pm
    Angela C
    Participant

    Hello.

    I am a Stage IV patient and just had a brain MRI this week and the results say, "There is a minimal punctate focus of enhancement along the high anterior right frontal lobe. This measures 2 to 3 mm in maximal size and is on the cortical surface. This is a new finding when compared with the previous exams and is suspicious for a tiny metastatic lesion."

    Hello.

    I am a Stage IV patient and just had a brain MRI this week and the results say, "There is a minimal punctate focus of enhancement along the high anterior right frontal lobe. This measures 2 to 3 mm in maximal size and is on the cortical surface. This is a new finding when compared with the previous exams and is suspicious for a tiny metastatic lesion."

    I've never had any mets to the brain before. So, is there a possibility this could be something other than melanoma? I'd love to think that is the case, but I don't want to be unrealistic. A Stage IV Melanoma patient having something show up in the brain is a big red flag. This is very tiny. So, will they just assume it is melanoma or do they ever attempt a biopsy?

    If this is melanoma, how will they most likely treat it? Am I looking at Gamma Knife? This is outside of my field of experience with melanoma so far and I'm trying really hard not to freak out right now. I won't see the doctor until next week  to discuss what he thinks needs to be done.

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  • Replies
      • August 6, 2011 at 1:57 am
      Tim–MRF
      Guest

      I am sorry you are going through this scare.  It sounds as though the findings are inconclusive, but I would think you and your treatment team would want to err on the side of caution.  Gamma knife or cyberknife sound like reasonsable approaches to me, though I am not a doctor.   Please keep us posted.

      Tim–MRF

      • August 6, 2011 at 1:57 am
      Tim–MRF
      Guest

      I am sorry you are going through this scare.  It sounds as though the findings are inconclusive, but I would think you and your treatment team would want to err on the side of caution.  Gamma knife or cyberknife sound like reasonsable approaches to me, though I am not a doctor.   Please keep us posted.

      Tim–MRF

        • August 7, 2011 at 9:40 am
        Terra
        Participant

        My husband had a similar spot show up on a scan in march – "area of enhancement" that was new – recent scans show it to be stable and they have said it is some sort of vessel – I couldn't get all the information because I had to leave the appoint early but they are not worried.  I hope it is the same for you.

        • August 7, 2011 at 9:40 am
        Terra
        Participant

        My husband had a similar spot show up on a scan in march – "area of enhancement" that was new – recent scans show it to be stable and they have said it is some sort of vessel – I couldn't get all the information because I had to leave the appoint early but they are not worried.  I hope it is the same for you.

        • August 8, 2011 at 12:57 am
        Angela C
        Participant

        Thanks so much for the responses. Terra, was your husband on any treatment at the time? How long did they go between scans to monitor it? With me being Stage IV, I'm going to be quite surprised if they don't work under the assumption that it's melanoma, but I guess you never know. I'm guessing that I'll have to get the opinion of a neuro doctor.

        • August 8, 2011 at 12:57 am
        Angela C
        Participant

        Thanks so much for the responses. Terra, was your husband on any treatment at the time? How long did they go between scans to monitor it? With me being Stage IV, I'm going to be quite surprised if they don't work under the assumption that it's melanoma, but I guess you never know. I'm guessing that I'll have to get the opinion of a neuro doctor.

      • August 10, 2011 at 1:22 am
      Angela C
      Participant

      Just wanted to post an update on this. I posted this anon. the other day, but it's my post. =)

      I saw the doctor today. They said that it is so small that it's hard to know for sure if it is melanoma and if we should go ahead and treat it with gammaknife/cyberknife. I am on the MDX-1106 trial, but my CT scans last week have shown too much growth in my tumors and I have to move on to a new treatment.

      So, the plan is that I will start Yervoy and will also get an opinion on the MRI from a Neurosurgeon and a Stereostatic Radiologist.

      In the meantime, I'm supposed to avoid ibuprofen and aspirin. If the doctors are not able to tell if they think this is melanoma, then I will have another brain MRI in about a month.

      • August 10, 2011 at 1:22 am
      Angela C
      Participant

      Just wanted to post an update on this. I posted this anon. the other day, but it's my post. =)

      I saw the doctor today. They said that it is so small that it's hard to know for sure if it is melanoma and if we should go ahead and treat it with gammaknife/cyberknife. I am on the MDX-1106 trial, but my CT scans last week have shown too much growth in my tumors and I have to move on to a new treatment.

      So, the plan is that I will start Yervoy and will also get an opinion on the MRI from a Neurosurgeon and a Stereostatic Radiologist.

      In the meantime, I'm supposed to avoid ibuprofen and aspirin. If the doctors are not able to tell if they think this is melanoma, then I will have another brain MRI in about a month.

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