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Understanding PET Results
Hello
I am hoping that someone on here can help, a former co-worker of mine was diagnosed with colon cancer last month, during surgery it was discovered that it spread to her liver, she was given a PET Scan, and got the results back Friday. She is 72 years old, she says that the Dr. did not go over/explain any of it, I am trying to help, but a lot of it I don't understand either. Please help!
here are her results: (I am so sorry if this is too long. Please explain to me so I can explain to her)
HISTORY: Colon carcinoma, diagnosed 7/07, status post surgery; currently treated with Xeloda. The patient also provides a history of ovarian carcinoma, diagnosed in 1972.
TECHNIQUE: Following injection of 19.9 mCi of F 18 FOG, tomographic emission images were acquired from the mid face through the pelvis with a dedicated full ring pet/C. T. fusion scanner. Noncontrast C. T images were obtained as a transmission scan and for anatomic localilation- The blood glucose level was 127.
FINDINGS: Physiologic activity is identified within the myocardium, bowel, liver and renal collecting system.
NECK: There is, however. enlargement of, and heterogeneity of the left lobe of the thyroid gland.
CHEST: There is no mediastinal or axillary adenopathy. Scattered vascular calcification is seen. There are no pleural effusions. There is a linear, calcified scar In the right lung apex. There are emphysematous changes in the lungs. There is a 2 mm right upper lobe nodule, image 67; there is dependent atelectasis in the lung bases. There is a 1.1 CM nodule in the posterior right lung base just above the diaphragm with SUV of 3.0 on axial image 86. There is a 6 mm nodule the left lung base just above the diaphragm, slice 84.
ABDOMEN/PELVIS: There are extensive hypermetabollc masses in the liver, with the majority seen in the right lobe. The largest lesion, in anterior right lobe extending into the medial left lobe. image 99, measures 8.9 x 7.6 CM. Inferiorly, this lesion has a necrotic center. The max SUV is 12.4 on axial Image 100. There is a 2.3 )(1.9 CM hypermetabolic lymph node at the hilum of the liver, SUV 6.5 on axial Image 107. There Is a hypermetabolic 1.3 x 1.0 CM epiphrenic lymph node anterior to the liver, slice 92. SUV 3.8. ,Hypermetabolic portacaval node. Image 112, SUV 3.4. There is a second portacaval node with an SUV of 3.7 on axial image 117. At the suture line in the right colon there is curvilinear increased FDG uptake with an SUV of 2.8 on axial image 141, likely post-surgical change. There is trace quantity of ascites adjacent to the liver. There is a 2.5 CM left mid pole renal cyst. There is extensive arterial vascular calcification in the aorta. There are diverticula in the distal colon. The patient is status post resection of the proximal right colon. There Is no bowel obstruction.
OSSEOUS STRUCTURES: There is a lytic lesion in right posterior rib nine at the costovertebral junction, SUV 6.9 on axial image 83, measuring 2.5 CM on the PET image.
IMPRESSION: Extensive metastatic disease to the liver, also involving abdominal lymph nodes. Probable metastatic lung nodule in the right lung base. The two additional lung nodules described above are too small to characterize with PET. Metastatic lesions of bone, involving rib nine. Probable goiter involving the left lobe of the thyroid gland.
I am hoping that someone on here can help, a former co-worker of mine was diagnosed with colon cancer last month, during surgery it was discovered that it spread to her liver, she was given a PET Scan, and got the results back Friday. She is 72 years old, she says that the Dr. did not go over/explain any of it, I am trying to help, but a lot of it I don't understand either. Please help!
here are her results: (I am so sorry if this is too long. Please explain to me so I can explain to her)
HISTORY: Colon carcinoma, diagnosed 7/07, status post surgery; currently treated with Xeloda. The patient also provides a history of ovarian carcinoma, diagnosed in 1972.
TECHNIQUE: Following injection of 19.9 mCi of F 18 FOG, tomographic emission images were acquired from the mid face through the pelvis with a dedicated full ring pet/C. T. fusion scanner. Noncontrast C. T images were obtained as a transmission scan and for anatomic localilation- The blood glucose level was 127.
FINDINGS: Physiologic activity is identified within the myocardium, bowel, liver and renal collecting system.
NECK: There is, however. enlargement of, and heterogeneity of the left lobe of the thyroid gland.
CHEST: There is no mediastinal or axillary adenopathy. Scattered vascular calcification is seen. There are no pleural effusions. There is a linear, calcified scar In the right lung apex. There are emphysematous changes in the lungs. There is a 2 mm right upper lobe nodule, image 67; there is dependent atelectasis in the lung bases. There is a 1.1 CM nodule in the posterior right lung base just above the diaphragm with SUV of 3.0 on axial image 86. There is a 6 mm nodule the left lung base just above the diaphragm, slice 84.
ABDOMEN/PELVIS: There are extensive hypermetabollc masses in the liver, with the majority seen in the right lobe. The largest lesion, in anterior right lobe extending into the medial left lobe. image 99, measures 8.9 x 7.6 CM. Inferiorly, this lesion has a necrotic center. The max SUV is 12.4 on axial Image 100. There is a 2.3 )(1.9 CM hypermetabolic lymph node at the hilum of the liver, SUV 6.5 on axial Image 107. There Is a hypermetabolic 1.3 x 1.0 CM epiphrenic lymph node anterior to the liver, slice 92. SUV 3.8. ,Hypermetabolic portacaval node. Image 112, SUV 3.4. There is a second portacaval node with an SUV of 3.7 on axial image 117. At the suture line in the right colon there is curvilinear increased FDG uptake with an SUV of 2.8 on axial image 141, likely post-surgical change. There is trace quantity of ascites adjacent to the liver. There is a 2.5 CM left mid pole renal cyst. There is extensive arterial vascular calcification in the aorta. There are diverticula in the distal colon. The patient is status post resection of the proximal right colon. There Is no bowel obstruction.
OSSEOUS STRUCTURES: There is a lytic lesion in right posterior rib nine at the costovertebral junction, SUV 6.9 on axial image 83, measuring 2.5 CM on the PET image.
IMPRESSION: Extensive metastatic disease to the liver, also involving abdominal lymph nodes. Probable metastatic lung nodule in the right lung base. The two additional lung nodules described above are too small to characterize with PET. Metastatic lesions of bone, involving rib nine. Probable goiter involving the left lobe of the thyroid gland.
maven
what a fantastic friend she has in you ! Knowledge is power and you are empowering her. She will have some choices to make as far as treatment and care in the very near future and what a gift your friendship is to her.
Kath
"its better to light one small candle..than to curse the darkness"
what a fantastic friend she has in you ! Knowledge is power and you are empowering her. She will have some choices to make as far as treatment and care in the very near future and what a gift your friendship is to her.
Kath
"its better to light one small candle..than to curse the darkness"
I'm so sorry to read about your friend. I agree with Liz. I'm afraid the results do not look to promising as it seems the cancer has spread to the liver, abdomen, possibly lung and bone. Lytic lesions are not a good sign. You are a great friend to be there for her during this difficult time.
Sorry to hear about your friend. The pathology report doesn't look good I am afraid. It seems that the colon cancer has spread (metastasised) to the liver and probably to the right lung, also the bones. I would think at this stage, palliative treatment is all they can offer.
Could you possibly go with your friend to a consultation with the doctor who did the surgery and ask him/her to explain in simple English what this all means? You could Google a lot of the technical terms, but what your friend needs is a prognosis of her overall situation i.e. further surgery, chemo, rads etc. or just palliative treatment.
Take care - what a good friend you are to her.
Liz.
Could you possibly go with your friend to a consultation with the doctor who did the surgery and ask him/her to explain in simple English what this all means? You could Google a lot of the technical terms, but what your friend needs is a prognosis of her overall situation i.e. further surgery, chemo, rads etc. or just palliative treatment.
Take care - what a good friend you are to her.
Liz.
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