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OT-Son-in-Law's PET Scan

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Posted 8/20/2018 9:35 PM (GMT 0)
Here's hoping some of you smart guys can help with interpreting a PET scan undergone by our son-in-law. A recent CT due to an ulcer showed an enlarged lymph node. He underwent a PET scan this morning, which showed the following:

"In the abdomen and pelvis, unchanged enlarged right internal iliac chain/presacral lymph node with mild FDG uptake with a maximum SUV of 3.8. No additional enlarged retroperitoneal, intraperitoneal, inguinal, or additional deep pelvic lymph nodes.

Physiologic uptake noted throughout the liver, spleen, renal collecting systems, including the ureters and urinary bladder as well as loops of bowel.

In the osseous structures, physiological tracer uptake is present. No suspicious worrisome osseous lesions are seen.

IMPRESSION: PET-CT from the skull base to mid-thigh demonstrates:

1. Unchanged enlarged right internal iliac chain/presacral node with mild FDG uptake with maximal SUV of 3.8. Clinical correlation is suggested. Follow up as indicated."

Is this a scary as it sounds? We are absolutely beside ourselves, and it's 2 weeks until his follow-up appointment.

Thanks,
Donna
Posted 8/20/2018 9:50 PM (GMT 0)
What kind of cancer does he have? Did he have a biopsy?
Posted 8/20/2018 10:11 PM (GMT 0)
Hey, Allen,

He hasn't been diagnosed with any cancer. They just did the PET scan due to the lymph node showing up as enlarged on the CT when he had an ulcer. There has been no biopsy at this point.
Posted 8/20/2018 10:38 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, Donna--

Have you tried calling the doctor's office and asking for a quick read on the PET scan report? Since you got the report the same day the scan was done, I'm assuming you accessed it through a patient portal (correct me if I'm wrong). Your doctor probably isn't aware you've seen it, and may not have looked at it him/herself. Tell the office you've seen the report, are anxious about what it means and want a callback from the doc. If they have a heart, they won't keep you hanging for two weeks.

From some quick web searches just now, it looks like there are other possible causes of the uptake than cancer, but followup diagnostics will be needed. I understand your being freaked -- I'd feel the same way.

Postscript: Forgot it was your son-in-law. Advise him and your daughter to call his doc, if they haven't tried that already.
Posted 8/20/2018 11:19 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Saipan. That's the plan for tomorrow. The doctor's phones were off by the time we got the report. My daughter is veside herself. My understanding isbthat physiological uptake was normal, but I don't know for sure. I was hoping someone here would know.
Posted 8/20/2018 11:38 PM (GMT 0)

RandyJoe said...
Hey Saipan. That's the plan for tomorrow. The doctor's phones were off by the time we got the report. My daughter is veside herself. My understanding isbthat physiological uptake was normal, but I don't know for sure. I was hoping someone here would know.


This is why I'm not a big fan of giving immediate patient access to radiology reports. I think a better balance of interests would be to release the report to the physician first and allow say 2 business days before releasing it to the patient, to afford reasonable time for the physician to contact the patient and deliver the news.
Posted 8/21/2018 1:25 AM (GMT 0)
Hopefully, he can get some answers tomorrow. My SIL And daughter are young parents of 5 children, the youngest of which are 21 months and 24 months. Right now they are imagining tje worst. We keep trying to tell them not to borrow trouble, but that's easier said.
Posted 8/21/2018 3:32 PM (GMT 0)
It seems that the docs suspect lymphoma....
Posted 8/21/2018 7:37 PM (GMT 0)
GEEEZ. Sorry to hear that. Suspect is the operative word i guess, lets hope they are wrong.
Life isn't fair.
Posted 8/24/2018 12:39 PM (GMT 0)
Prato,

He has an appointment with an Onco on Monday. GP was totally clueless...infuriatingly so. Long story, there. We're just praying that it turns out to be nothing. My daughter is wrecked.

Donna
Posted 8/24/2018 3:27 PM (GMT 0)
RandyJoe we are praying with you. The wait is always excruciating and so its understandable that your daughter is so distraught
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