abnormality in my chest

[sharone]

I had the low dose of radio iodine on monday folllowed by 2 body scans. I just got back the results today and they said theres an abnormality in my medial left chest. They are having me do a scan on friday that goes deeper to try to tell what it is. If anyone knows what it might be to help ease my mind please only respond with positive things.If it's negative I really can't handel the added stress...This is scary, I had thyroid cancer in 2001 and had the thyroid removed. Then in 2003 I had a RAI. Now what could this be in my chest?

[utahmomma]

If it showed on the RAI then its absorbing iodine - hence it is thyroid tissue (at least that's the indication).  Don't panic!  This isn't that abnormal.  My sister had quite a bit of uptake in her breasts after her second RAI treatment so she had another dose which killed it off.  Her last few scans have been clean.

Try not to panic - if it can absorb iodine to be picked up on a scan then it can absorb iodine with enough radiation to kill it.

What was your Tg level before your scan???

Utahmomma
papillary carcinoma '03
recurrence and RAI '06 and possibly '08
three sisters with papillary carcinoma (one with three recurrences and three RAI doses)

[sharone]

OH MY...thank you.. I have been in tears all day.I just have so much going on in life right now and just when I was expecting them to give me a good report I get this. Its so disheartening. I just want to be ok and get back on my meds. I feel so horriable all the time and I want to get back to my life. I havent gotten that blood work done yet. I think Im going monday to get it. The doctor is taking forever to get back to me when I call up there. I have to get the test done b4 friday. I couldnt make out the name of the test because of the nurses accent but it sounds like pet scan. its not cat scan. she says it scans deeper into the body..humm..I sure hope its nuthin big. I have to have family flown from michigan down here to florida if i have to get the RAI. even with the low dose they made me stay away from my daughter for 4 days.

[utahmomma]

PET scan is a nuclear scan, similar to the I-131 (RAI) scan but it is glucose that is radiated - not iodine.  I've been told that the PET scan is *not* as good at detecting thyroid cancers (especially if they are small) as the RAI scan.  Find out whether or not they are thinking it is a thyroid cancer recurrence.

It wouldn't hurt to get a second opinion - perhaps from an oncologist - who can look at the results of your RAI scan.   I'm not sure whether you can have the RAI treatment dose immediately following a PET scan (if it is warranted) but I know that the iodine and radiation that is given for a CT scan (which is very similar to the PET scan) prevents you from having RAI for 4-6 months.

Like I said, if it was detected on the RAI scan then it is treatable with an RAI treatment dose.  Not really sure why they would want to do a PET scan (usually the results from the RAI scan and the results of your TSH and Tg is reason enough to determine whether or not you need the RAI treatment).  A chest x-ray would be warranted and would not prevent you from a RAI treatment dose (if you need it).

Get a second opinion before the PET scan, please.

*If* you do need RAI treatment, it would be unfortunate to have to wait because of another test which you really didn't need.

[utahmomma]

Okay, I did a bit of research on MedLine.  You *can* have RAI after a PET scan (no use of iodine- unlike a CT scan) but a PET scan is *NOT* indicated for a patient who is RAI and Tg positive.  Meaning, if your Tg is up (meaning you may have a recurrence) and it can be found on the RAI then there is no need for a PET scan.

However, if your Tg is up but your RAI scan can't locate a recurrence that means that the cancer has become iodine resistant so a PET scan is ordered to locate the recurrence.

Hope that makes sense.

[utahmomma]

Here is one of the references:

http://www.biij.org/2006/4/e56/default.asp

[sharone]

wow u really know ur stuff. Im so glad I found this place.Im hoping the blood work will show that the cancer cells are ok. I should know early week. Thank u again. I'll be checking back here later today..

[dscoochie]

Hi there,

Just sharing what I know from a friend who has had a PET scan.  She had an elevated tg bloodwork, then had a scan, and the scan showed nothing.  They then turned to a PET scan, which apparently is VERY expensive, but also more detailed than other scans (I'm going on what she told me, and she is a thyca survivor).  The PET scan did pick up tiny bits of thyroid tissue in the lungs - very common.  

So, from what I understand, a PET scan is usually used when an RAI scan does not reveal anything, or also to be more detailed in its findings.

I know its easy to say please dont worry, but one thing I have learned over the last month and a half since my diagnosis is that worrying doesnt help.  I've worried my butt off and all it did was make me feel worse!  Try to find comfort in the love of those around you (your daughter!) and I'll be praying for you!

Despina

[sharone]

Thank you, so what did they do about the thyroid tissue in her lungs?

[dscoochie]

She had a pretty good dose of RAI.

Believe it or not, she didnt do RAI after her TT.  It was "optional" because she only had one nodule that was cancerous.  No lymph node involvement at all.  

I think it was about three years later at her scheduled bloodwork time, her Tg came back high.  Then the scan that showed nothing, then the PET scan that picked up the lung mets.  If I remember correctly, she was scared that the RAI wouldnt work, because the RAI scan didnt show anything, but it did work.  She got a big dose (I think 200 millicuries) and her next scans (both RAI and PET) were clear!

I know its scary - God, I'm scared every day, but we all need to be strong for eachother.

Please know I'm praying for you.

Despina