I am non-secretory and had a stem cell transplant on 12/10/10.
Recently had an MRI and was told I had bone marrow infiltration in the L5 vertebra .
Any one know what this means and what treatments are done?
Last PET scan was clean 10/31/13
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Re: Bone marrow infiltration in vertebra - what next?
Just found out today that my mom has T1 infiltration...trying to figure this out, as well. Maybe someone here can help us out!
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risper6
Re: Bone marrow infiltration in vertebra - what next?
My understanding is that this means there is myeloma cell infiltration in the bone marrow at the site indicated.
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dnalex - Name: Alex N.
- Who do you know with myeloma?: mother
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 2007
- Age at diagnosis: 56
Re: Bone marrow infiltration in vertebra - what next?
Guys, this is a bit vague and I'm hesitant to comment with only these small slices/summaries of the radiology report.
Risper6, you may want to start your own thread so that folks don't mix up their replies here...and supply a little bit more background on the various lab tests, etc that your Mom had and which led up to her MRI. Saying only "T1 infiltration" leaves a lot to the imagination.
Suffice it to say that "T1" is simply one of the imaging modes utilized in MRI and that is what I'm guessing the "T1" refers to. Without getting into the details, different MRI modalities such as T1 and T2 are used to pick up different things during the imaging session. But since you only say "T1 infiltration", this could also mean the MRI is picking up issues in the T1 vertebrae and it may not be referring to the T1 MRI imaging mode.
Gilbert, there are different patterns of bone marrow infiltration that an MRI can pick up on. I'm guessing that since you called out L5 and you have multiple myeloma, that evidence of a bone lesion was picked up...but that is only a guess without seeing the entire radiology report.
Have either of you had a chance to debrief with your oncologist yet?
Risper6, you may want to start your own thread so that folks don't mix up their replies here...and supply a little bit more background on the various lab tests, etc that your Mom had and which led up to her MRI. Saying only "T1 infiltration" leaves a lot to the imagination.
Suffice it to say that "T1" is simply one of the imaging modes utilized in MRI and that is what I'm guessing the "T1" refers to. Without getting into the details, different MRI modalities such as T1 and T2 are used to pick up different things during the imaging session. But since you only say "T1 infiltration", this could also mean the MRI is picking up issues in the T1 vertebrae and it may not be referring to the T1 MRI imaging mode.
Gilbert, there are different patterns of bone marrow infiltration that an MRI can pick up on. I'm guessing that since you called out L5 and you have multiple myeloma, that evidence of a bone lesion was picked up...but that is only a guess without seeing the entire radiology report.
Have either of you had a chance to debrief with your oncologist yet?
Last edited by Multibilly on Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: Bone marrow infiltration in vertebra - what next?
Here's some background on my mom: She is 3 yrs. in remission s/p SCT, initially had plasmacytoma at T11 (was completely healthy, on no meds, no kidney involvement, etc). Radiated and did well for approx. 1 yr., then had rib pain and bone marrow biopsy indicating 59% abnormal plasma cells and that's when she had SCT.
Fast forward ... Doing great these last 3 yrs. with some set backs with energy and bone pain (she's now 68), end of Nov. had follow up and all labs normal and still in remission and was told she didn't need to see him until May 2014. Right before Christmas had neck pain and shoulder pain. Scared her to death, just had MRI over the weekend. Saw PCP's nurse practitioner today because she saw her initially for the neck pain because she was able to see her quicker. Nurse practitioner told my mom today that MRI showed "new site" and that she had T1 marrow infiltration.
My mom said that's honestly all she heard because when she heard "new site" she went into panic mode and just started thinking the worst. She sees her oncologist this Friday and I'll be there with her (this was already scheduled). Meanwhile, she's a mess and I wish the nurse practitioner would've never talked about the MRI (she didn't order it; oncologist did) because, either way, my mom is just going to be a mess until she talks to the oncologist Friday. She thinks she remembers them saying there are no compression deformities and no disc or spinal cord abnormalities and something about "signal heterogenous."
Ugh ... other than that, I'm not sure of anything else that was said/discussed other than the nurse practitioner telling her that the initial site, T12, was stable. I wish I could've been there with her. I will be for her oncology appointment Friday in Pittsburgh.
Thanks so much for your response, much appreciated
Fast forward ... Doing great these last 3 yrs. with some set backs with energy and bone pain (she's now 68), end of Nov. had follow up and all labs normal and still in remission and was told she didn't need to see him until May 2014. Right before Christmas had neck pain and shoulder pain. Scared her to death, just had MRI over the weekend. Saw PCP's nurse practitioner today because she saw her initially for the neck pain because she was able to see her quicker. Nurse practitioner told my mom today that MRI showed "new site" and that she had T1 marrow infiltration.
My mom said that's honestly all she heard because when she heard "new site" she went into panic mode and just started thinking the worst. She sees her oncologist this Friday and I'll be there with her (this was already scheduled). Meanwhile, she's a mess and I wish the nurse practitioner would've never talked about the MRI (she didn't order it; oncologist did) because, either way, my mom is just going to be a mess until she talks to the oncologist Friday. She thinks she remembers them saying there are no compression deformities and no disc or spinal cord abnormalities and something about "signal heterogenous."
Ugh ... other than that, I'm not sure of anything else that was said/discussed other than the nurse practitioner telling her that the initial site, T12, was stable. I wish I could've been there with her. I will be for her oncology appointment Friday in Pittsburgh.
Thanks so much for your response, much appreciated
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risper6
Re: Bone marrow infiltration in vertebra - what next?
Hey Risper6: I feel for you and your mom. I agree that it would have been good if the NP hadn't said anything. Friday is not too far away, but I'm sure it will seem like an eternity to your Mom regardless.
Seems like it just might make things worse to guess based on just these sparse clues.
If you really wanted to try to figure out the results out before Friday, you can always try to contact the radiology department and ask that a copy of the radiology report be faxed to you or if you can pick up a copy at their facility. But that might just generate even more questions as those can sometimes be a bit cryptic to interpret as well....and what will you do for the next 2-3 days if you find out from the report that she has a new lesion?
I personally like getting access to early copies of my health data before I see my oncologist, but I am also willing to take on the risk of being in a state of worry and full of all kinds of questions that may go unanswered for a few days when I do that....a lot of people would understandably just as soon not have the data without the simultaneous benefit of an expert to explain it right there on the spot.
Seems like it just might make things worse to guess based on just these sparse clues.
If you really wanted to try to figure out the results out before Friday, you can always try to contact the radiology department and ask that a copy of the radiology report be faxed to you or if you can pick up a copy at their facility. But that might just generate even more questions as those can sometimes be a bit cryptic to interpret as well....and what will you do for the next 2-3 days if you find out from the report that she has a new lesion?
I personally like getting access to early copies of my health data before I see my oncologist, but I am also willing to take on the risk of being in a state of worry and full of all kinds of questions that may go unanswered for a few days when I do that....a lot of people would understandably just as soon not have the data without the simultaneous benefit of an expert to explain it right there on the spot.
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Multibilly - Name: Multibilly
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: Smoldering, Nov, 2012
Re: Bone marrow infiltration in vertebra - what next?
Dear Gilbert and Risper6,
I agree with Multibilly regarding the difficulty in interpreting these reports based on limited information. In both of your cases, I think it is importnat to get up with your oncologists to determine their significance. Have these areas been imaged via MRI in the past? If so, are the changes new?
With respect to the T1 infiltration, I am ssuming that is referring to the T1 vertebra. This could cause pain at the base of the neck/upper back with the potential for radiation to a shoulder.
Certainly, in either case, there are red flags for potential disease relapse. A repeat comprehensive evaluation is warranted for both of you. For Risper6, if the serum/urine labs are also showing signs of myeloma progression and the oncologist feels that the new MRI finding explains the pain recently, I think that would be an indicator of progression. If there is uncertainty, a bone marrow biopsy and/or biopsy of the T1 vertebra may be necessary to determine if there is progression. For Gilbert, since you have non-secretory disease (even by free light chains?), I would strongly consider a repeat bone marrow biopsy and/or L5 biopsy.
Hang in there and good luck!
Pete V.
I agree with Multibilly regarding the difficulty in interpreting these reports based on limited information. In both of your cases, I think it is importnat to get up with your oncologists to determine their significance. Have these areas been imaged via MRI in the past? If so, are the changes new?
With respect to the T1 infiltration, I am ssuming that is referring to the T1 vertebra. This could cause pain at the base of the neck/upper back with the potential for radiation to a shoulder.
Certainly, in either case, there are red flags for potential disease relapse. A repeat comprehensive evaluation is warranted for both of you. For Risper6, if the serum/urine labs are also showing signs of myeloma progression and the oncologist feels that the new MRI finding explains the pain recently, I think that would be an indicator of progression. If there is uncertainty, a bone marrow biopsy and/or biopsy of the T1 vertebra may be necessary to determine if there is progression. For Gilbert, since you have non-secretory disease (even by free light chains?), I would strongly consider a repeat bone marrow biopsy and/or L5 biopsy.
Hang in there and good luck!
Pete V.
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Dr. Peter Voorhees - Name: Peter Voorhees, M.D.
Beacon Medical Advisor
7 posts
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