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Joan M · 09-06-2011, 02:33 PM

Tricia,

Perhaps you should have a CT scan of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis before having a PET/CT. If the lesion is smaller than 1 cm, it might not light up on the PET part of the scan. Even though a CT scan can show a lesion as small as 2 cm, it might not be noted in the report. That's what happened to me.

I was originally diagnosed with stage 2 bc, which then spread to my lung in 2007. In 2006, I was given a PET/CT which showed nothing. Six months later in early 2007 another one showed a spot in my left lung. That is, it lit up. The spot was 1 cm.

My oncologist called the radiologist to ask whether the spot had been there in the 2006 PET/CT, and he said, yes. It had shown up on the CT part of the scan. The spot was 5 mm. I asked my onc why it wasn't reported. She said that since it didn't light up, it wasn't reported. She explained that the emphasis was on the PET part of the scan, not the CT part.

Of course, in my opinion (and I think hers, too), that was not good, and I never had any kind of scan there again. I don't think that kind of reporting happens very often.

I guess the idea is that if the pain in the rib is bad enough and cancer, something should light up (even though other things can light up, too). Hopefully, the pain will turn out to be nothing to worry about.

Joan

09-06-2011, 02:33 PM	#22
Joan M Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,851	Re: What would you do? Tricia, Perhaps you should have a CT scan of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis before having a PET/CT. If the lesion is smaller than 1 cm, it might not light up on the PET part of the scan. Even though a CT scan can show a lesion as small as 2 cm, it might not be noted in the report. That's what happened to me. I was originally diagnosed with stage 2 bc, which then spread to my lung in 2007. In 2006, I was given a PET/CT which showed nothing. Six months later in early 2007 another one showed a spot in my left lung. That is, it lit up. The spot was 1 cm. My oncologist called the radiologist to ask whether the spot had been there in the 2006 PET/CT, and he said, yes. It had shown up on the CT part of the scan. The spot was 5 mm. I asked my onc why it wasn't reported. She said that since it didn't light up, it wasn't reported. She explained that the emphasis was on the PET part of the scan, not the CT part. Of course, in my opinion (and I think hers, too), that was not good, and I never had any kind of scan there again. I don't think that kind of reporting happens very often. I guess the idea is that if the pain in the rib is bad enough and cancer, something should light up (even though other things can light up, too). Hopefully, the pain will turn out to be nothing to worry about. Joan __________________ Diagnosed stage 2b in July 2003 (2.3 cm, HER2+, ER-/PR-, 7+ nodes). Treated with mastectomy (with immediate DIEP flap reconstruction), AC + T/Herceptin (off label). Cancer advanced to lung in Jan. 2007 (1 cm nodule). Started Herceptin every 3 weeks. Lung wedge resection April 2007. Cancer recurred in lung April 2008. RFA of lung in August 2008. 2nd annual brain MRI in Oct. 2008 discovered 2.6 cm cystic tumor in left frontal lobe. Craniotomy Oct. 2008 (ER-/PR-/HER2-) followed by targeted radiation (IMRT). Coughing up blood Feb. 2009. Thoractomy July 2009 to cut out fungal ball of common soil fungus (aspergillus) that grew in the RFA cavity (most likely inhaled while gardening). No cancer, only fungus. Removal of tiny melanoma from upper left arm, plus sentinel lymph node biopsy in Feb. 2016. Guardant Health liquid biopsy in Feb. 2016 showed mutations in 4 subtypes of TP53. Repeat of Guardant Health biopsy in Jana. 2021 showed 3 TP53 mutations, BRCA1 mutation and CHEK2 mutation. Invitae genetic testing showed negative for all of these. Living with MBC since 2007. Stopped Herceptin Hylecta (injection) treatment in March 2020. Recent 2021 annual CT of chest, abdomen and pelvis and annual brain MRI showed NED. Praying for NED forever!!