Colon Visible on MRI or Abdominal CT (with barium)?

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Diddy
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Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2017 3:04 pm

Colon Visible on MRI or Abdominal CT (with barium)?

Postby Diddy » Fri Jan 06, 2017 3:17 pm

I'm 38, male. I had an MRI (WITHOUT contrast) of the pelvis done because of strange tailbone pain (primarily when sitting) I've been having for 2-3 months. Also have occasional pinching feeling in the area in question, like a momentary dull ache that comes and goes but usually isnt present. MRI showed 2 6mm "lesions" - pea/pencil eraser sized in the left sacrocoyggeal area. Spine doc ordered a nuclear bone scan - which came back totally normal. I asked if I should get my colon looked at (colon cancer runs in fam), she said "I dont think so". I dont trust this doc. She's inexperienced and young. Seems to have no idea what these lesions actually are. My question is - could these things be something going on in the colon? Or would they have to be larger to show up on an MRI without contrast? I have noticed small dabs of blood on toilet paper on occasion when wiping. Nothing major just a tiny bit. I know that could be just about anything. My bowel movements are pretty regular - I go every morning after breakfast, almost always pass easily and usually on the soft side of normal. I had standard blood work done a few wks ago - normal. Blood cell counts were fine. I also had an abdominal CT scan for something else done with barium about 14 months ago. Would that show if there was something amiss in the colon? It also came back "normal". I know colonoscopy is the end-all be-all to identify true colon issues, just wondering if I should be running to my doc to get one done? Any info would be greatly helpful. Thank you.

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Kick'nAssCancer'sAss
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Re: Colon Visible on MRI or Abdominal CT (with barium)?

Postby Kick'nAssCancer'sAss » Fri Jan 06, 2017 5:02 pm

Welcome to the club no one wants to be part of. You will get a wealth of info here from people who have lived exactly what you are going through. If you lurk here long enough you will see many in their 30's 40's with colon cancer. The difference from early stage and late stage is timing. Based on what I read and your family history I would be getting a scope ASAP. Find a Dr who will do it if she won't. The colonoscopy is the only way to positively identify colon cancer. It might be nothing but if it is something serious time is of the essence.
53M Dx RC Halloween 2013
CT & BONE scan
MRI/T3N0M0 1 suspicious LN
5 wks chemo/rad
LAR open TME Feb 26/14
temp bag
0/24 nodes pCR/pathological
Folfox (8) Mar 28-Jul 4 /14
Aug/14 clear CT scan
Aug 27/14 reversal
Feb/15 clear scope
July/15 Feb/16 Feb/17 Feb/18 clear CT scans
Feb/18 clear scope
Sept 19 clear CT scan & DISCHARGED :P
Mar/23 clear scope
CEA 1.6 @ dx
1.6,1.4,1.7,2.4,2.9, 2.7 2.3 2.5 2.2 2.1 2.5 2.6 2.7
2.7 Sept 19
0-4 normal
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jhocno197
Posts: 817
Joined: Mon May 11, 2015 9:33 pm

Re: Colon Visible on MRI or Abdominal CT (with barium)?

Postby jhocno197 » Fri Jan 06, 2017 5:18 pm

It would not have shown up on CT unless large enough to distend/swell colon.

Sounds like a second opinion is in order.
DH - dx Dec 2014, stage IV with bladder & peritoneal involvement - non-resectable
Colostomy
FOLFOX failed
FOLFIRI failed
Tumor actually distending pelvic skin
Not a candidate for last-ditch pelvic exenteration
Stivarga finally begun 2/19/16
Tumor growing/fungating
Lonsurf started 11/18/16
Died 3/10/17

Utwo
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Location: T.O.

Re: Colon Visible on MRI or Abdominal CT (with barium)?

Postby Utwo » Fri Jan 06, 2017 5:38 pm

Diddy, you have two issues (that may or may not be related):
1) "tailbone pain (primarily when sitting)"
Your spine doctor is dealing with it.

2) "dabs of blood on toilet paper on occasion when wiping"
It's none of your spine doctor business.
You need to see a gastroenterologist (GI specialist) to get colonoscopy done and exclude colon cancer.
Blood in your stool may be caused by hemorrhoids, benign polyps, cancer etc.
Only colonoscopy would help to figure this out.
58 yo male at diagnosis: T1bN0M0, 0/15 nodes, low grade/moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma
03/2016 colonoscopy: 2 small polyps removed in left colon; CEA = 1.3
04/2016 colonoscopy: caecum sessile 3.5 cm polyp piecemeal removed with kind of clear margins
05/2016 "prophylactic" laparoscopic right hemicolectomy - bleeding, leak, infection
06/2017 CT scan, colonoscopy OK; CEA = 1.6
A lot of funny stuff discovered by CT scans in liver, kidney, lungs, arteries, gallbladder, lymph node, pancreas

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CRguy
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Re: Colon Visible on MRI or Abdominal CT (with barium)?

Postby CRguy » Fri Jan 06, 2017 7:53 pm

Diddy,

the answer to your imaging question is :
depends who is looking for what, and with which technique

I would go to a GI doc and get a scope

Cheers
CRguy
Caregiver x 4
Stage IV A rectal cancer/lung met
17 Year survivor
my life is an ongoing totally randomized UNcontrolled experiment with N=1 !
Review of my Journey so far

DarknessEmbraced
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Location: New Brunswick, Canada

Re: Colon Visible on MRI or Abdominal CT (with barium)?

Postby DarknessEmbraced » Fri Jan 06, 2017 11:30 pm

I agree with everyone else that it's best to go to see a GI and get a colonoscopy. I hope you get some answers soon!*hugs*
Diagnosed 10/28/14, age 36
Colon Resection 11/20/14, LAR (no illeo)
Stage 2a colon cancer, T3NOMO
Lymph-vascular invasion undetermined
0/22 lymph nodes
No chemo, no radiation
Clear Colonoscopy 04/29/15
NED 10/20/15
Ischemic Colitis 01/21/16
NED 11/10/16
CT Scan moved up due to high CEA 08/21/17
NED 09/25/17
NED 12/21/18
Clear colonoscopy 09/23/19
Clear 5 year scans 11/21/19- Considered cured! :)

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BeansMama
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Location: North Carolina

Re: Colon Visible on MRI or Abdominal CT (with barium)?

Postby BeansMama » Sat Jan 07, 2017 10:12 am

I agree with everyone else, go to a GI and get a scope!

Not to scare you - please do not take it that way as it may or may not have been related. I had tailbone pain leading up to my issues. As I said I do not know if it was related to my cancer or if it was because I had gone back to college and was sitting on my rump a lot more than I normally did.

It would not hurt to have it looked at by a doc that knows about the colon.

I will add you to my prayer list, praying they don't find anything.
41 yrs old
Tumor found 9/2015
Surgery 1 - 11/2015 LAR and colostomy
Surgery 2 - 11/2015 wound vac
Surgery 3 - 12/2015 revise resection, move colostomy
Mets to liver - tumor inoperable - one add'l met destroyed
Stage IVa (T3 N2a M1a)
Primary tumor 9 cm x 7.5 cm x 2 cm
Beginning Folfox 1/2016 - Failed
Beginning Folfiri and vectibix 8/2016 — Failed
Beginning Folfirinox + Avastin 11/2016 - Failed
Beginning Keytruda 1/2017
CEA drop from 345 to 7.3 after starting immunotherapy
Lynch positive 3/2016

Diddy
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2017 3:04 pm

Re: Colon Visible on MRI or Abdominal CT (with barium)?

Postby Diddy » Mon Jan 09, 2017 5:52 pm

A big reason I ask is tailbone pain doesn't seem to present as a symptom in most colon cancer cases. Not a primary one anyway. Ny that it can't be one, just not one that is much discussed. Anyway I'm getting the colonoscopy next Friday.

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CRguy
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Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2008 6:00 pm

Re: Colon Visible on MRI or Abdominal CT (with barium)?

Postby CRguy » Mon Jan 09, 2017 7:02 pm

Good on the scope ... hope all comes out well for you.... and I don't just mean the PREP :oops:

Tailbone pain with CRC = Not in my case.
Had no pain at all anywhere except after surgery when I had a pelvic abscess and THAT produced tailbone pain
SO .... pressure and infection in my case was the cause = not cancer.

Cheers
CRguy
Caregiver x 4
Stage IV A rectal cancer/lung met
17 Year survivor
my life is an ongoing totally randomized UNcontrolled experiment with N=1 !
Review of my Journey so far


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