PET scan

ceaves · Regular Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 36

So I had my PET/CT scan done today. Pretty painless. The tech let me look at the scans after they were done, which was really cool considering I’m studying bio in school. The only not cool thing was that my whole anterior mediastinum lit up. He pointed to the heart and the bladder and said that uptake in those areas is normal. So I said, why is my thymus lighting up, and he just looked at me because he cant say anything, the doctor has to tell me. Anyway, I guess I don’t know how I feel. I feel weird, like devoid of feelings. I still don’t believe that cancer is what is going on, it just doesn’t feel right even though everything is falling in to place that way. The thoracic surgeon’s head nurse called this morning and she said that she would try to send me the report on Monday if it is available. The official results will be in Wednesday but I would like to know as soon as possible. Anyone else ever felt this weird non-feeling feeling? I guess I am a little shocked that that area lit up, even though that is why I was having the scan done. It was so much bigger than what I pictured in my mind. And why didnt it show up on the chest x-ray. Maybe it wasnt even there in March, I dont know. I feel like I am in a play, acting out a part of a patient trying to get a diagnosis, but like that person isnt me. Anyway, we will see....

-Chelsea

SHANELLE85 · Regular Joined: 06 Jun 2006 Posts: 31

Hey Chelsea,
It is hard 2 get tests done 2 c whether u have cancer or not, coz u go through so many mixed emotions that it just starts 2 take its toll on u. b4 i was diagnosed i used 2 hear of so many people getting cancer young and old but i used 2 just say 2 myself.."it will never happen 2 me" well the day it did my whole life changed and ive changed as a person and i dont think that im nieve anymore!
By reading ur post it seems like u kinda think this urself, and thats ok but no 1 is invisible 2 cancer, but until u get ur results ur going 2 b a very anxious person 4 the next few days (and who can blame u) but try not 2 jump 2 the worst possible conclusion its the worst thing u can possibly do 2 urself!
(EASIER SAID THAN DONE) Mad

Well goodluck keep me posted
shanelle Wink

ceaves · Regular Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 36

Well I dont know what is going on. I talked to the nurse today about the initial PET scan report. A 1.2 by 1.5 cm node that is below my thyroid lit up, and so did the anterior mediastinal mass. The radiologist said that the node could be reactive but should be biopsied, and the mass is probably a rebound thymus. Then it said, if no cause for rebound thymus can be found then lymphoma cannot be radiologically ruled out. The nurse said it was vague, and that the doctor will be able to tell me more on Wednesday. She also said that sometimes the doctor diagrees with the radiologist, so they might be able to tell me something specific when I go in. Im confused because Ive been trying to figure out what a rebound thymus is, and all I can find is that it happens sometimes after people have chemotherapy or a transplant. Obviously, Ive never had chemo before. So anyway, Im confused. The nodes in my neck apparently didnt light up though. Wouldnt it be weird if the nodes I went in to the doc for were nothing, but I had cancer in my chest? I guess I would thank God then because I wouldnt have known otherwise. Ill write more on Wednesday. Wink

-Chelsea

ceaves · Regular Joined: 12 Apr 2006 Posts: 36

So I was at the doctor today. That thing in my anterior mediastinum is 4.2 by 1.6 cm, and it had an uptake value of 3.7. It hasn’t gotten bigger since my last scan, so that is good. I read that anything over 2.5 uptake value is suspicious for malignancy, but he doesn’t want to biopsy right now because its too invasive. The lymph node had an uptake value of 2.2, and they cant biopsy it because its too close to my carotid artery. So right now, I don’t know what is going to happen. They think that my body is responding to something, but they don’t know what because I don’t have any active infection. He says that I am too young for a thymus tumor, so he wants to wait. He said that if I start getting night sweats or losing weight then he will consider biopsy. They are supposed to call me tomorrow to tell me what we are going to do since they cant biopsy my node. Anyone know what their uptake values were when you had a PET scan? Anyway, that mass hasn’t gotten bigger in the past 2 ½ weeks, and that is a good sign. Wink

-Chelsea

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