David Lee Harshfield, M.D.

In radiology, as in all of medicine, it is a risk versus reward relationship, with the most important consideration being first do no harm.
d

Ultrasound first, breast MRI if that is indeterminate, avoid radiation and compression if possible, dlh

Unless there is some highly specific reason, we don't need to use all this contrast material in our imaging studies, I recommend you avoid it, dlh

have a breast MRI study instead, d

technically and theoretically yes, but realistically should not result in problems for your baby, d

Iodine for CT and X-ray contrast, potentially toxic to the kidneys.

Gadolinium for MRI which has now been shown to be dangerous due to deposition within the brain as well as potential for toxicity to the soft tissues of the body.

I personally don't use much contrast material , especially with MRI studies, don't need to, frankly,

d

the parotid gland is the one salivary gland that encapsulates "late", and therefore can envelop adjacent lymph nodes. Thus, lesions within the parotid capsule proper can be either parotid or lymphatic origin, thus a "parotid mass" isn't necessarily of parotid origin. An enlarged lymph node is usually just a manifestation of your immune system reacting to something in the neighborhood (infection, inflammation, etc.). And if it is a parotid tumor, most are benign (when dealing with the salivary glands, the smaller glands tend to have more aggressive lesions, while the largest- the Parotid- tends to have benign tumors.

hope this helps, dlh

Depuytren contracture is a hypertophic scarring of and around the flexor tendons in the palm of the hand.

Ultrasound guided injection of collagenase (an enzyme) can dissolve some of the scarring. An oral herb cocktail that can be obtained from Natalia Bragg in Maine will help to heal the lesions and to prevent them from recurring (Knot II Bragg farms)