How I Gained Clarity on My Pancreatic Cyst Diagnosis

Dean's Story

I communicated directly with my radiologist, asking questions and receiving insightful responses that made me feel confident and good about the care I was receiving.

In 2020, I was diagnosed with a small pancreatic cyst following an MRI I had done for digestive issues. But the radiology report was vague in characterizing the cyst's type and nature. Pancreatic cancer runs in my family, so this left me feeling nervous. I was concerned and wanted a more definitive answer as to whether the cyst could be malignant or, potentially, precancerous.

For more clarity, I uploaded my MRI to DocPanel for a radiology second opinion. Dr. Xavier Garcia Rojas, an abdominal imaging subspecialist with expertise in pancreatic cyst radiology, reviewed my MRI. He provided a detailed report that helped me better understand the identifying characteristics visualized in the images. Since the cyst was small, he advised me to get annual MRIs to keep a close eye on and monitor any changes.

This year, I followed Dr. Garcia Rojas' recommendation and got a follow MRI. Having had such a good experience with my second opinion, I uploaded the new scan to DocPanel for Dr. Garcia Rojas to review. Once again, I was very grateful for his thorough interpretation. He compared my new MRI with my previous scan and explained the findings in detail. I was able to send a list of specific questions when I submitted the scan, and I was also able to send pertinent follow-up questions after I received my second opinion report. He was more than happy to answer my questions in a clear and timely fashion, which made a huge difference in how I felt.

Ironically, I could not get any questions answered by the radiologist who initially interpreted my scan. Although radiologists become part of a patient's care team, it feels as though they no longer play a role once they sign off on their radiology reports. They aren't available for direct questions and only answer to referring physicians who then relay information to us patients. DocPanel, on the contrary, puts the patient in the center. I communicated directly with my radiologist, asking questions and receiving insightful responses that made me feel confident and good about the care I was receiving.

I will continue to get annual MRIs to keep an eye on the cyst. I wholeheartedly recommend DocPanel and its team of radiologists, and I plan to keep Dr. Garcia Rojas as part of my care team.

DocPanel is committed to making sure every patient receives excellent care. If you would like a second opinion on your medical imaging from a fellowship-trained subspecialty radiologists, you can learn more here.

NEXT: Read our blog post on the Top 5 Questions Patients Have About a Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis