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Petscan Results-Next steps
Petscan results-what’s usually the next step?
Scan shows hypermetabolic mediastinal adenopathy with representative hypermetabolic lateral aortic lymph node measuring 1.3x0.9 cm with maximal SUV of 4.5, hypermetabolic right paratracheal/precarinal 1.5x0.8 node with SUV of 4.3.
Also hypermetabolic bilateral hilar adenopathy with SUV of 5.9 at the level of the left Hilum and 4.8 at level of right hilum.
Impression was scattered hypermetabolic mediastinal and bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy with differential including lymphoproliferative disorder such as lymphoma. Sarcoidosis could have a similar appearance is also included in the differential.
If this were lymphoma with no other symptoms or unusual findings, would this be considered stage 2?
Scan shows hypermetabolic mediastinal adenopathy with representative hypermetabolic lateral aortic lymph node measuring 1.3x0.9 cm with maximal SUV of 4.5, hypermetabolic right paratracheal/precarinal 1.5x0.8 node with SUV of 4.3.
Also hypermetabolic bilateral hilar adenopathy with SUV of 5.9 at the level of the left Hilum and 4.8 at level of right hilum.
Impression was scattered hypermetabolic mediastinal and bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy with differential including lymphoproliferative disorder such as lymphoma. Sarcoidosis could have a similar appearance is also included in the differential.
If this were lymphoma with no other symptoms or unusual findings, would this be considered stage 2?
COMMUNITY LEADER
"A PET cannot distinguish between cancer and not-cancer."
Because the areas that light up can be cancer, or not-cancer (increased activity in the cells from non-cancer causes).
There are even some benign "lymphoproliferative disorders", all of them are not necessarily cancer. Some are very mysterious.
Because the areas that light up can be cancer, or not-cancer (increased activity in the cells from non-cancer causes).
There are even some benign "lymphoproliferative disorders", all of them are not necessarily cancer. Some are very mysterious.
COMMUNITY LEADER
"IF THIS WERE lymphoma... would this be considered stage 2?"
Hi, that's probably Stage 1, as they are all in the same area.
But that is a very big "IF".
More important is: "Sarcoidosis could have a similar appearance is also included in the differential." A PET cannot distinguish between cancer and not-cancer.
"what’s usually the next step?"
To choose the most suspicious node and determine what's inside it -- likely with a guided needle biopsy. The nearly oval one (1.5x0.8) is not very suspicious because it's oval. So that leaves the 1.3x0.9 one, if it is accessible (e.g., not near a nerve or blood vessel). My guess: the odds are that the biopsy would turn up negative.
If your doc is not particularly alarmed by the PET result, they might just wait and do a CT of the two large nodes in a few months to look for any major changes. You'd also monitor yourself to make sure there aren't any new bumps appearing anywhere.
All that being said, there is still something that prompted the PET to be done. Why did the doc order the PET? Coughing and chest pain?
Hi, that's probably Stage 1, as they are all in the same area.
But that is a very big "IF".
More important is: "Sarcoidosis could have a similar appearance is also included in the differential." A PET cannot distinguish between cancer and not-cancer.
"what’s usually the next step?"
To choose the most suspicious node and determine what's inside it -- likely with a guided needle biopsy. The nearly oval one (1.5x0.8) is not very suspicious because it's oval. So that leaves the 1.3x0.9 one, if it is accessible (e.g., not near a nerve or blood vessel). My guess: the odds are that the biopsy would turn up negative.
If your doc is not particularly alarmed by the PET result, they might just wait and do a CT of the two large nodes in a few months to look for any major changes. You'd also monitor yourself to make sure there aren't any new bumps appearing anywhere.
All that being said, there is still something that prompted the PET to be done. Why did the doc order the PET? Coughing and chest pain?
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