Jan 23, 2020 5 min read

Q. What does it mean if a person needs an MRI after a mammogram? Can you explain both of those things? I think I spelled the last word wrong. Can you fix it? I can’t google it because I don’t have a phone. Can you believe I don’t have a phone? I can’t search on a computer because my mom checks my history and the only computer I can use is in the kitchen. Can you believe the only computer I can use is in the kitchen? I overheard my mom and my gramma talking and my mom had one of those mammogram things and now needs an MRI thing. Does this mean she has breast cancer? If she has cancer, will she die? I don’t understand why everyone in my family thinks I’m too young to hear about important stuff. I may be the youngest, but I’m not a baby and I’m old enough to know. Nobody talks with me.

11-year-old

Mary Jo’s response: Your questions show your love for your mom and your curiosity. I enjoy your spirit. It is obvious in your questions. I’m happy to answer them. I can also hear your frustration about the online access you want. You misspelled mammogram by only one letter and I did fix it. It was a little tough to read some of your questions. I think you wrote quickly when you put your paper in my curiosity bag. I’m glad you did. One of my goals is answering all questions young people ask.

You’re wise to connect mammograms with finding cancer. A mammogram is a health test using low dose X-rays to look for changes in the breast. Mammograms are part of annual wellness checks and are used to see inside the breast. Finding a breast change early can help with treatment if the change is cancer. Not all breast changes are cancer. Your mom may just need a follow up test like a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to make sure her breasts are healthy.

A breast MRI, or ultrasound, may be ordered if a health care provider needs a clearer, more detailed picture of the breast. Mammograms, ultrasounds and MRIs are noninvasive tests, which means the person’s body isn’t cut during the testing. Most consider these tests painless, although a mammogram may be uncomfortable since the breasts are briefly squished between two pieces of clear plastic. The squishing only lasts a few seconds.

You didn’t ask about ultrasounds, but they are often the first test ordered after a mammogram. Breast ultrasounds use sound waves to make images of the breast. They’re pretty cool. Ultrasounds can also be used during pregnancy to produce a picture of the growing fetus. Scientists created ultrasounds over many years to help find icebergs in the ocean and submarines during wartime.

A breast MRI uses a powerful magnetic field, radio waves and computer to produce detailed pictures of the structures within the breast. A breast MRI can last anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. Some facilities use earphones so music can be heard during the test.

Please remember this important fact – having an MRI or ultrasound after a mammogram doesn’t mean a person will be diagnosed with cancer. Again, your mom may be ordered these tests to make sure she is cancer free.

Cancer can be a scary word. It’s important to remember not all cancers are the same. Treatment is based on the type of cancer and how early it was found. Many people live long lives after a cancer diagnosis. Many cancers do not return. I’m in treatment for breast cancer and I’m doing well. Cancer, like all challenges, are part of life.

I believe children and young people need answers to their questions, especially when those questions cause them anxiety. Often adults think people your age are young and unaware of what’s happening around them. I’ve found the opposite to be true. You overheard your mom talking with your gramma. Most kids hear and are curious about adult situations – what you call “important stuff.”

I write books called the Nonnie Series for third- through eighth-graders to read with trusted adults. I’m a Nonnie – a gramma. The books are about tough topics like death and birth and consent and puberty and sex. I’m going to write Nonnie Talks about Cancer because so many young people know people dealing with cancer. Not understanding something can make it more frightening and add to worry and anxiety.

I’d like to encourage you to talk with your mom about your feelings. Tell her you overheard her conversation with your gramma. Tell her your fears. Share your love for her. Maybe you could show her this column and say, “These are my questions, mom.” You don’t mention anyone else in your family. Finding a trusted adult with whom you can talk about important stuff will help you grow up strong.

Talking with your mom may help her understand your wishes for computer access, too. I can’t help you with phones. Each parent must decide when a young person is ready for a phone. Show maturity every day and be respectful. When you do get a phone, please remember to use it with respect. Avoid drama. Only text what you would show on a billboard on a busy highway, or be proud to say in front of a lot of people.

Good luck to you and your mom.

Have a question? Send it to Dr. Mary Jo Podgurski’s email podmj@healthyteens.com.