Hi everyone
I'm new here so please be gentle. I am recovering from a hysterectomy done 19th dec. I have endometrial cancer and my oncologist said I will probably have to have Bracytherapy. He also said I would need an MRI scan for the planning ? My problem is I am claustrophobic and know I will not be able to tolerate this as a few years ago I had one and had a panic attack 10 mins before the end. I have had CT scans in place of MRI previously.
My question is, have any of you who have had brachytherapy had a ct scan instead of MRI? The thought of it terrifies me and it really is a worry too much at this time.
A friend said that she had heard that some hospitals had open MRI scanners where you could stand /sit instead of the lie down ones.im having this at the Christie hosp in Manchester would anyone know if they have one.
Many thanks
Hi Glama21
Welcome to our community, I hope you find it both informative and supportive.
I am Steve, one of the community champions and my experience of cancer is via my wife who has Leiomyosarcoma.
Not had a MRI myself, though my rheumatologist did metion one regarding my ankolysing spodilitis but said i would not find it much fun and it would not really make any difference to my treatment so never got there. My wife however has had several and they are by far her least favourite.
New to the community is a bit like the welcome mat here, most of the community is split by cancer types and experiences. You might like to look at our Womb (uterus) cancer forum and perhaps post there as there will be people more on a similar path to you. Also you might consider our Radiotherapy & Side Effects forum
Sorry I am not familiar with the Christie as my wife was treated in Oxford.
<<hugs>>
Steve
Hello Glama21
Just to add on to that cracking reply you have had from my friend Steve above., I live in Oldham and am under The Christie. To the best of my knowledge the MRI machines are the open ended ones where you lay down and enter the MRI tunnel.
I understand that with severe cases of claustrophobia the NHS will allow you to travel to somewhere with a stand up facility but i think theRE are very few operated by the NHS - There's no harm in asking your consultant.
Best wishes - Brian.
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Hi Glama21
Why don’t you give your CNS a ring to explain how you feel? It is possible to have a ct scan to plan brachytherapy after a hysterectomy instead of an mri.
The mri is the scan normally used for brachytherapy planning, and the ct gives different images, but the best person to advise what is possible for your own situation is your own consultant. If you ring your CNS, they will be able to check, and hopefully reassure you.
I can completely understand your worries about going into the mri scanner-I suffer from extreme anxiety about them myself-so give you nurse a ring tomorrow to see if they can put your mind at rest about it. Open mri scanners are a rarity in the nhs unfortunately.
Sarah xx
