My mom had her PET CT done after an xray and two CT's had seen a suspicious nodule which then became two nodules (only one suspicious). Here are the findings. We see the oncologist on the 1st but my fear is this had spread to hear brain and I dint know if they checked or not. She's been complaining of severe headaches for months now and the eye doctor said it's not because if her glaucoma. Can you please help me make sense if this report before we go in so I'm prepared and can be of better support for my mom and know what questions to ask. I've included the whole report.
Without moving the patient, 10 mCi F-18 FDG was administered
intravenously followed by PET imaging performed after a 55 minute delay. Images
were then fused and reviewed on an independent workstation. The patient's
resting blood glucose level measured 107 mg/dL
Background blood pool uptake measures 3.5 Max SUV within the descending thoracic
aorta.
The recently demonstrated 1.3 cm right middle lobe nodule demonstrates markedly
high metabolic uptake with a max SUV of 18.0 (image 165). There is no suspicious
lymphadenopathy.
No hypermetabolic activity is identified in the neck, abdomen, or pelvis. There
is no suspicious osseous lesion.
Physiologic activity is noted in the myocardium, gastrointestinal, and genitourinary tracts. Diffuse hepatic hypoattenuation indicates steatosis. There
are numerous noninflamed colonic diverticula. There is moderate atherosclerosis.
Cholecystectomy has been performed.
IMPRESSION:
1. The recently demonstrated 1.3 cm right middle lobe nodule is markedly
hypermetabolic compatible with malignancy.
2. No additional hypermetabolic uptake on this examination.
If there's anything that you can tell me to help guide me for get first Dr visit I would really appreciate it..
Kristina
Reply # - September 26, 2024, 11:00 AM
Hi lulani, Welcome to Grace…
Hi lulani, Welcome to Grace.
I'm sorry your mom is going through this and I hope they find another reason for the results seen on the scans. We aren't able to read and make conclusions from scans it's illegal and unethical to make determinations like that online outside a medical appointment. It's still possible it's not cancer but those numbers make it suspicious enough to take the next step. That would be a biopsy to collect tissue to see exactly what's what. That could be through a needle biopsy where they use a needle to take samples of the nodule, or a bronchoscopy to get tissue from the nodule. If it's easily accessible a complete resection may be the right thing. It depends on lots of things that you, your mom and her onc can discuss.
I understand what you mean by needing to learn lots of very complicated stuff in a short time. You'll be a great help to her. You will find that each step along the way...if this is cancer, has many possible answers depending on lots of other things. First find out if it's cancer or not. Talk to them about the headaches, though several months may be a bit long to be having headaches from a lung cancer tumor without it becoming debilitating or deadly, again it depends and they may want to do an MRI of the brain even before the biopsy but certainly after if they do find cancer in the lung. And if they find cancer they will want to do mutation testing to ensure the proper first treatment.
Don't hesitate to ask questions as they come up. I hope hope hope this isn't cancer. My husband has gone through several scares after his initial diagnosis years ago. For over the past year, they've been trying to find out what they are seeing on scans, btw, it sounds a lot like your mom's scan. They've given up on the cancer possibility and moved on the sarcoidosis or...
Patience and Hope could take on new meaning. You're on the right track. Take a recorder to appointments most oncs don't mind. Right down questions before appointments. A second opinion only adds another head to the team. Again onc don't (shouldn't) mind.
Take care and keep us posted
Janine
I joined GRACE as a caregiver for my husband who had a Pancoast tumor, NSCLC stage III in 2009. He had curative chemo/rads then it was believed he had a recurrence in the spine/oligometastasis that was radiated. He's 10 years out from treatment.