Mammogram With Breast Implants Concern of Rupture
I know this has been addressed on here before but not recently and the only thing I was able to find were discussions about pain during mammograms. I could care less about the pain. I am more worried about breast implant rupture with mammograms. Last year was my first year getting preventive BC screenings and I opted for an MRI instead of a mammogram telling not only my PCP my reasons why, (fear of rupture and a desire for a more comprehensive scan) but also the imaging center. Well, I got the MRI and what have I heard nonstop since then (from the imaging center but not my PCP)? You need to follow up with a mammogram. HELLO!? Did you guys not hear me? Well, turns out, one of the radiologist's comments on the report was, "Incomplete evaluation... MRI does not replace a mammogram, etc."
So, I realize that mammograms and MRIs look for different things, however, I also know that MRIs *can* be a bit more comprehensive as in, they detect things that mammograms might miss (I have heard several firsthand stories of this). Really, the only thing mammograms might detect that an MRI wouldn't, are calcifications. I say 'only' with a grain of salt, because I realize detecting calcifications is also important.
Anyhow, I'm willing to budge but it's just interesting to me that no one has bothered to explain to me why I still need a mammogram even though I had an MRI. I know why, after my own research, but no medically qualified person has ever explained this to me. In fact, my PCP went ahead and ordered the MRI originally, basically agreeing with my concern, so why is everyone else saying that it absolutely HAS to be a mammogram? And if so, why are MRIs generally seen as more comprehensive?
Anyway, I think they're going to win, which is fine, but they better not rupture my implants. That will be a huge problem and is still a major concern of mine. I do agree with some sentiments that, if mammograms were popping implants all over the place we'd hear about it, but honestly, I haven't heard anything about anything, that's the problem. I'm not so sure I WOULD hear about it. I feel like I'm in the dark regarding whether an MRI was the route to go or a mammogram.
The technicians at the imaging place seemed uncertain when they encountered someone with implants (me) coming in for an MRI. It was as if I'm the first person to ever have done it (with implants, not a breast MRI in general). I guarantee I'm not. I was in there forever and they told me, "We had to redo several images because of your implants." Like what?! How am I the first person you're running into with implants, or why does this seem like a foreign concept? Maybe I wasn't but that's what they acted like. I live in Las Vegas, which makes it astounding to me that they acted like I'm the first one they've ever seen. Implants are rampant here. Idk, maybe all the implant people are getting mammograms which is why the techs acted like this was a foreign concept.
Anyhow, the last bit of back story regarding the MRI is that it *seems* all turned out normal. The only thing worth noting was, "scattered bilateral breast enhancement with *probably*normal fibroglandular tissue," which is why the report went on to emphasize that, "this MRI does not replace a mammogram." Idk, maybe that's their way of saying I wasted my money on getting an MRI (oh yeah, I'm also an out-of-pocket payer. I only have catastrophic insurance) but I was trying to do my due diligence and not have to repeat scans ie getting the more comprehensive scan to begin with. It seems like, no matter what though, I will have to because... they are insisting on it.