Help!! MRI Q

[RN24boys]

My oldest son has a large mass on his right arm, up by shoulder. It has grown quickly & after getting the X-ray, we went for an MRI at Children's Mercy today. They prepared us that he would likely need the contrast but after about 40 minutes brought him out & said they were able to tell without it. I'm a hospice nurse so, after seeing the mushroom appearing growth on the xray, I've researched all about osteochondroma, osteosarcoma, etc. fearing the worst. Can anyone tell me what would make them not use the contrast? I would think they could miss something either way if they don't. Waiting for THAT call is hard as a mom, especially being a nurse. Thank you for any & all perspectives you can give us!!!

[dianah, ASN]

Oh my, scary situation!

It's hard to be a mom first, while never being able to turn off the nurse in you (not that one needs to, the two are not mutually exclusive, by any means!).

Per the Terms of Service, no one here can offer any medical advice.

All I can do is guess, and speculate that the technologist presented the non-contrast images to the Radiologist who would be reading them and creating the final report, and that the Radiologist decided (as they said) he had enough information in the non-con images, that it wasn't necessary to subject your son to the risks of injecting the contrast (Risk VS Benefit). It could be, too, that cost containment was a factor but then again, I do not know, was not there.

This would be something to ask your son's MD and possibly the Radiologist.

I hope for the best news for your son.