After no word for 5 days on PET scan results, we were handed a copy of the results by a nurse with no explanation. Our doctor is out of town and we have no idea what the report says.
Are there any resources we can use to help us understand it? Waiting all weekend seems awful!
Forums
7 posts
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blair77 - Who do you know with myeloma?: My husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: April 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 43
Re: PET scan results - how to interpret them?
So as part of evaluating my husband for MRD they did a PET/ CT. The report reads:
Impression:
1. no evidence of hyper metabolic osseous lesions
I am guessing this is a good thing?
Impression:
1. no evidence of hyper metabolic osseous lesions
I am guessing this is a good thing?
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blair77 - Who do you know with myeloma?: My husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: April 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 43
Re: PET scan results - how to interpret them?
Yep.
Cancerous cells metabolize glucose faster than normal cells. So, the radioactive glucose kool-aid that was given prior to the PET/CT gets metabolized faster ("hyper metabolized") by any cancerous cells and these cells in turn "light up" on a PET/CT, if present. "Osseous" just means "bone tissue".
So, this statement means that no cancerous bone lesions were found.
Cancerous cells metabolize glucose faster than normal cells. So, the radioactive glucose kool-aid that was given prior to the PET/CT gets metabolized faster ("hyper metabolized") by any cancerous cells and these cells in turn "light up" on a PET/CT, if present. "Osseous" just means "bone tissue".
So, this statement means that no cancerous bone lesions were found.
Last edited by Multibilly on Sun Oct 19, 2014 7:47 am, 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: PET scan results - how to interpret them?
Yeah I agree with Multibilly. "No evidence" is a good thing.
I had a PET scan 12 years ago because of lung cancer. I had to go to a large city to have it done and they sent the film back with us. I had two bright spots, and they were bright. One of the bright spots was a tumor in my lung, and the other my bladder. I assume the bladder was the marker residue leaving. It was very interesting.
I had a PET scan 12 years ago because of lung cancer. I had to go to a large city to have it done and they sent the film back with us. I had two bright spots, and they were bright. One of the bright spots was a tumor in my lung, and the other my bladder. I assume the bladder was the marker residue leaving. It was very interesting.
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Wayne K - Name: Wayne
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself, my sister who passed in '95
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 03/09
- Age at diagnosis: 70
Re: PET scan results - how to interpret them?
Could a PET scan replace a bone marrow biopsy?
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blair77 - Who do you know with myeloma?: My husband
- When were you/they diagnosed?: April 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 43
Re: PET scan results - how to interpret them?
blair77 asked: "Could a PET scan replace a bone marrow biopsy?"
No, sorry, but a BMB will give the specialists tissue to analyze for percentage of cancer cells and for FISH and other tests. Thereby getting more specific information on severity and type of Myeloma.
The BMB is therefore an important part of the diagnosis process.
best regards
No, sorry, but a BMB will give the specialists tissue to analyze for percentage of cancer cells and for FISH and other tests. Thereby getting more specific information on severity and type of Myeloma.
The BMB is therefore an important part of the diagnosis process.
best regards
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Lev - Name: Lev
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Me
- When were you/they diagnosed?: June 2014
- Age at diagnosis: 57
Re: PET scan results - how to interpret them?
Dear Blair77,
The report is good news! It means that no hypermetabolic bone lesions of myeloma were detected.
This serves as a nice complement to other testing used to assess complete remission, but it should not replace the other measures of complete response. The serum and urine testing remain important, as does the bone marrow examination. You can still have low levels of disease not picked up by the PET-CT. For those that meet criteria for complete remission by blood/urine testing and bone marrow examination, a normal PET-CT scan result should translate into a more durable complete remission compared with someone who meets all measures for compete remission but has an abnormal PET-CT scan result.
Congratulations on the great report!
Pete V.
The report is good news! It means that no hypermetabolic bone lesions of myeloma were detected.
This serves as a nice complement to other testing used to assess complete remission, but it should not replace the other measures of complete response. The serum and urine testing remain important, as does the bone marrow examination. You can still have low levels of disease not picked up by the PET-CT. For those that meet criteria for complete remission by blood/urine testing and bone marrow examination, a normal PET-CT scan result should translate into a more durable complete remission compared with someone who meets all measures for compete remission but has an abnormal PET-CT scan result.
Congratulations on the great report!
Pete V.
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Dr. Peter Voorhees - Name: Peter Voorhees, M.D.
Beacon Medical Advisor
7 posts
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