Marrow signal abnormality of rib on mri

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Hi,
It's been 28 years since my wife's treatment for breast cancer. Lumpectomy, radiation, 5 years tamoxifin, 5 years femara.

She recently has had pain in her shoulder and arm. To diagnose it the doctor she's seeing scheduled an MRI. We were worried about Mets, but the shoudler and arm turned out fine.

What has us really worried is this: Evidence of marrow signal abnormality of the first right rib, incompletely visualized.

We are both scared and worried.

We're scheduling an appointment with an oncologist we saw many years ago, but in the meantime, we're wondering if this could somehow be related to her radiation therapy long ago. She has never had an MRI before.

I realize we'll need the CAT scan, but in the meantime we wonder if it's possible this could be something else.

I appreciate any advice.

Thanks

Barbara G- Macmillan over 2 years ago

Hi Herbie27,

Thanks for getting in touch and welcome to the online community, I hope you find it supportive. My name is Barbara and I’m one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists on the Macmillan Support Line.

I’m sorry to hear your wife has been struggling with pain in her shoulder and arm.

It’s understandable that you have many questions and concerns. We would encourage you both to raise your questions and concerns with your wife’s health care team as they will have access to her records and results. As the team is requesting MRI and CT scans, it would appear that they are wanting to get a good picture as to what is happening and then may be able to explain why it has happened.

After you have discussed your concerns with your healthcare team, it might be helpful to focus on some strategies to help cope with any worries and concerns that you have.

Our Macmillan website has some useful information about how to manage anxiety, which you might find helpful. You might also like to give us a call on the Macmillan Support Line to talk things through.

I hope this information is of some help.

Best wishes,

Barbara G, Cancer Information Nurse Specialist.

You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or send us an email.

Ref: CF/BG

herbie27 over 2 years ago in reply to Barbara G- Macmillan

Barbara,

Thanks for much for your quick response. I will add the doctor my wife is seeing for the shoulder pain called this morning. She calmed us both a bit by saying the spot on the ribs is often affected by radiation, and she sees this happen especially in cases where my wife had never had an MRI. Still we're going to get an appointment with a local oncologist we saw many years ago and get his opinion, so we're less concerned, though still cautious.

Again, thanks so much.

Disclaimer

Marrow signal abnormality of rib on mri