Impression: 1. 4 x 3 mm enhancing nodule in the left internal auditory canal, intimate with 8th cranial nerve, consistent with an acoustic neuroma. 2. Otherwise normal MRI of the brain. |
Voron, the good news is that it's very small and you'll have plenty of time to simply watch and wait. No rush to do anything.
Hang in there and continue to ask questions and read all you can as you go through this. You'll find that once you get comfortable with the idea of the AN that it's just something else to get through. ;D
Cary
Hi voron
Welcome to the club. I'm originally from Madison WI. My buddy works in the neurosurgeoy Dept at UW Hospital. They only do retrosigmoid according to him. That is beneficial in your case since it is so small.
All six MRIs measure the tumor differently. It's possible it has grown 2mm depending on the measurement you want to believe.
Well, finally made to the ENT specialist.
Short resume:
* I have a way to go yet before being too concerned (under 10mm is fine to wait-and-see he said)
* will check back in 6 months to see the rate of growth (the rate of growth - that is what to be concerned with)
* he up front discouraged me from doing radiation (GK) as at this point the potential side-affect on the hearing could out weight any gain for me (elimination of that annoying tinnitus in my case would be nice, but....);
* spoke about the permanent scarring caused by GK in the AN and I may want to wait just yet since there is no way back once that is done
* surgery - he could do it if I insisted; but he discouraged to be rushed
* regarding the tinnitus, echos, head discomfort he wants to consult another ENT specialist who works with such cases, but without invasive ways
In short, wait-and-see for me. At 48 I am young and healthy.
If can tolerate the symptoms, maybe should try to mitigate them for now and take the gradual path.
All for now.
I have a sauna room (proudly - self-made) and enjoy using it during the cold season.
I was told recently that sauna is bad for my AN (coming from some more general idea that heat is bad for tumorous growths).
Can anyone comment?
Any reliable discussions about this anywhere?
I did google and nothing useful so far came up.
Nothing on this forum either that I can find.
Thanks in advance!