Bone scan report- talk me off the ledge!

Told by the urologist we are dealing with a low volume, highly treatable T1c cancer. We asked about the bone scan and ct scan results. He said something came up on the bone scan, but it was almost definitely a benign finding (he said more than 99% sure) and that no follow up was needed. Now I see the report - in a nutshell- whole body and spot images were obtained which demonstrate no significant increased radiopharmaceutical uptake throughout the axial or appendicular skeleton. On spect imaging compared to outside ct examination, in the area of interest within the left inferior pubic rami, there is very minimal, questionable asymmetric radiopharmaceutical uptake. This very likely is related to an underlying bone island. However given the patients diagnosis of prostate carcinoma, a metastatic disease would be difficult to entirely exclude.
Now with what the urologist said I wish I never saw that report or almost wish he never had the bone scan! Not even offered to many with his stats.
Thoughts????

My father was DXed in his 80s with Gleason 8 and his bone scan lit up like a Christmas tree -- due to age and extensive arthritis. His PC was successfully treated with IMRT and never recurred.

With your husband's PSA and low volume 3+4 a bone scan could probably have been skipped altogether. I would not worry about it...

Allen, you hit the nail on the head. My husband is coping way better than I am. I am normally a rational person but I feel like I am losing it right now.

It's probably a bit more unnerving because of the location. I would take comfort, however, in what we know...hardly any cancer found...and relatively low grade at that.

Jerry, looks like you would know about that, and looks like they zapped it good! Looks like you are doing well!

The bone scan report is just covering their CYA. If your husband had not mentioned prostate cancer, they would not have made the comment at all.

That has been the most frustrating part for me so far. A very vague bone scan report had my urologist thinking my body was riddled with cancer due to wording like multiple thoracic bodies and right posterior robs. After I had my radiation oncologist review it, he said though these scans are very subjective, at most 2 bone mets in spine and 2 in ribs.

My second opinion radiation oncologist ordered MRIs to spine and pelvic area which as 142 said showed that the spot that showed brightest on the bone scan was a benign herniated disc with spinal compression @ T7 & T8 that had not been previously diagnosed since I have no pain. So my diagnosis was downgraded to "mild bone metastasis" in spine at T4 & T9.

You can come down from the ledge, the report was just a keep me out of court comment.

LupronJim

You may want to re-think that. My urologist was not going to do a bone scan either since he too was 99% sure it would be a waste of $$, but my second opinion urologist ordered one which is how I found out I had bone mets, but if there is such a thing, the good kind Oligometastasis (<=5 bone mets) at initial diagnosis.

My opinion is it is better to know and be able to do something about it early, and if it plays out the way the odds say, no harm no foul and you know you do not have any bony mets

LupronJim

Pamiss:

I concur that this is most likely a CYA situation.

I can't remember the exact phraseology, but I remember being greatly worried about a sentence or two on my scan report. My family doctor looked at it and laughed. He knew the doctor and knew for a fact that this was CYA phraseology. My doctor said that if they were really concerned they would have phrased it as "xxxxx". I can't remember the exact phrasing, but yours is definitely in the CYA.

Oh, I'd better do a CYA for myself. The above is  merely an opinion from a non-medico!

Mel