RE: UPDATE On BONE SCAN - 1265341

maddy21
Posts:11

Hi Dr West and All

I posted a bit back with questions about my Bone Scan and not sure whether that question will still get an answer so I posted a new one too? After a bone scan it was recommended that I have a couple of pictures taken of the ribs as they showed hots spots. I had this done and it stated that I have arthritis there. what I am worrying with, I have just glanced over my original bone scan and it does say periosteal changes in femurs possibly reflecting hypertrophic pulmonary osteaoarthrothapy? I googled and it states that this is very rare and it is usually involved with active cancer? My doctors haven't asked for any more tests to be done? I apparently have no cancer so any help/advice would be appreciated. Thank you in advance.

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Dr West
Posts: 4735

I don't see an answerable question, which I why I didn't respond further in your last thread.

A speculation that some imaging changes that might possibly represent hypertrophic osteoarthropathy is not the same as a clear diagnosis of active cancer, but yes, there's reason to be concerned and suspicious. If there is any identifiable lesion to biopsy, that's the way to clarify if there's cancer, but it sounds like arthiritis is also a real possibilitiy.

-Dr. West

maddy21
Posts: 11

Hi Both,

I am so sorry I posted twice here, I thought the thread originally started had become void. Please accept my apologies. Thanks so much for your responses. My onc or GP didn`t show any concern regarding the HO, it was never even mentioned and I became concerned because it was not mentioned. Could this be there because I had cancer I wonder....the Femur issue where the HO is a possibility was never mentioned before so of course I worry now that this is a symptom of something more and although my scans etc. have come back clear it is in my mind...I don`t believe I have any lesions unless HO are lesions...I give up is how I feel today...so sorry for being a pest

Dr West
Posts: 4735

I'm sorry that I don't know how to answer your question. We are not hypertrophic osteoarthropathy experts, nor experts in interpreting bone imaging -- especially bone imaging we can't see from patients we don't care for directly.

I think it may well be possible that having had hypertrophic osteoarthropathy in the past, such as caused by lung cancer, may lead to changes on imaging long after the cancer was treated. I wouldn't presume that it implies that there is active cancer.

Good luck.

-Dr. West

maddy21
Posts: 11

Dear Dr West

Thank you so much for your response much appreciated and yes I understand this is not I your area of expertise, sometimes we forget what not to ask about, thank you always.