CT Scan of lungs results

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debbiejeanne
debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
edited September 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1

below are the results from a ct i had done last friday, 8/29.  i hoping someone can tell me what they mean.  i have to say i'm just a little worried about a couple things.  one being the mention of the coronary arteries.  Pat, if you read this, I would greatly appreciate your expertise.  i don't know if my doc will call me tomorrow or not to explain this to me.  i got these results online at MyChart.  I love the online system because you don't have to wait but it can be scary too.  another question, does this report say i have new nodules in the lungs?  thanks for your help.

dj

A tracheostomy tube tip terminates in the proximal trachea. A voice prosthesis is identified. Mixed attenuation density material is identified within the distal tracheostomy, which likely represents retained secretions. The central airways are otherwise patent. Parenchymal bands are identified in the left base, unchanged and likely focal scarring.

There is a 1 x 1 cm groundglass nodule in the right apex (series 4 image 84), mildly increased from from August 2013, previously measuring 1 x 0.9 cm.

A 3 mm nodule in the left lower lobe (series 4 image 183) is unchanged from October 2012. A 3 mm subpleural nodule in the left lower lobe (image 193) is also unchanged from October 2012. There are an additional couple small right lower lobe nodules measuring 4mm or less and are unchanged from August 2013.

The mediastinal windows demonstrates no hilar or mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Calcifications are identified in the coronary arteries. An area of fat attenuation is identified posteriorly in the ventricle wall, unchanged from prior and may represent a remote infarct. A small hiatal hernia is identified.

Limited evaluation of the upper abdomen demonstrate postsurgical changes in the right upper quadrant, unchanged. A low attenuation lesion is identified in the right hepatic lobe, unchanged. A left adrenal nodule is unchanged from October 2012. A high density lesion off the posterior upper pole of the right kidney previously was low density and may represent a hemorrhagic cyst.

Slight interval increase in the right apical ground glass nodule, given the increase in size, adenocarcinoma in situ is a consideration . Recommend a follow up exam in 6-12 months. 

Comments

  • jcortney
    jcortney Member Posts: 503
    #2
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    Not a Doc

    But i've read a ton of these (my own) and had them explained in great detail.  Unless I'm grossly misinformed, almost nothing has changed and what has doesn't seem to be clinically significant.

    Just my 2 cents.

    Joe

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #3
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    Hi Debbie

     

    I always get my daughter to read and explain this stuff for me, but from what I see at the bottom follow up exam in 6 to 12 months. Don’t sound like they are worried much about anything they are seeing.

     

    God Bless and keep you in His care

    Tim Hondo

  • donfoo
    donfoo Member Posts: 1,771 Member
    #4
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    Ditto..

    I interpret the report to indicate all things more or less the same so come back in 6 months for a check again. No doc here but as a citizen I say high five! :-)

  • jim and i
    jim and i Member Posts: 1,788 Member
    #5
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    I kinda agree with the othere

    I kinda agree with the othere except for the last part. Carcinoma means cancer to me and I know insitu means it is encased. I had a carcinoma insitu in my breast several years ago. It was removed and they told me to take the med (forgot the name) for five years because I was at a higher risk of breast cancer now. I also have to have a yearly mamogram and see an oncologist for blood test yearly. Not a doc as others have said but added my two cents worth. Praying all is ok and I pretty much think it is.

    Hugs and blessings

    Debbie 

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #6
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    thank you for your replies

    thank you for your replies everyone.  you know how it is, you see something out of the ordinary and you jump to conclusions.  it sounds like its nothing to worry about so i've decided i'm not going to waste any more time worry about it.  thanks again all.

    dj

  • Jeff2159
    Jeff2159 Member Posts: 108
    #7
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    Congrats

    Like others have said, it looks like a very positive result. I'd say the 6-12 month follow up is the best news I'm still on 3 months

    Jeff

  • wmc
    wmc Member Posts: 1,804
    #8
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    I would not be worried or concerned if it was mine.

    If my last ct was like this I would not be concerned. They refir to 2012 twice as unchanged and once in 2013 unchained. The slite change is .1cm [ 1mm] which is .03937". Very small but they are watchimg. When they say to have it checked in 6 to 12 months, also meens they are haveing you check it in about a year, not real concerned yet.

    This is only my opion from seeing mine, my first one when I was 28. I have a copy of all my last few years of CT and MRI's.

  • Anonymous7/6/2023
    Anonymous7/6/2023 Member Posts: 176
    #9
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    I can't explain/interpret it,

    I can't explain/interpret it, but I can just send a cyberhug. When do you see your consultant?

    The kidney part: I have a large renal cyst too. It was only found when I had the ultrasound for the **** up PEG installation! Nobody seemed bothered. I have had haematuria for donkeys years, and I thin this must be why. My daughter found out she only has one kidney - she only found out in her thirties during a pregnancy ultrasound!

  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #10
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    Estelle_H said:

    I can't explain/interpret it,

    I can't explain/interpret it, but I can just send a cyberhug. When do you see your consultant?

    The kidney part: I have a large renal cyst too. It was only found when I had the ultrasound for the **** up PEG installation! Nobody seemed bothered. I have had haematuria for donkeys years, and I thin this must be why. My daughter found out she only has one kidney - she only found out in her thirties during a pregnancy ultrasound!

    Calcifications are identified in the coronary arteries

    I had the same sentence in mine and this is probably the least of your worries. Every coronor will tell you that pretty much every  person has calcification in the arteries. During the Vietnam war countless autopsies were done on very young men, mostly all in their early twenties and almost all of them had calcification of the arteries. It's an inescapable by-product of our modern diet and lifestyle. 

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #11
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    Estelle_H said:

    I can't explain/interpret it,

    I can't explain/interpret it, but I can just send a cyberhug. When do you see your consultant?

    The kidney part: I have a large renal cyst too. It was only found when I had the ultrasound for the **** up PEG installation! Nobody seemed bothered. I have had haematuria for donkeys years, and I thin this must be why. My daughter found out she only has one kidney - she only found out in her thirties during a pregnancy ultrasound!

    wow, Estelle, that's scary

    wow, Estelle, that's scary that nobody knew about having only one kidney.  i'm glad it hasn't caused any problems anyway.

    dj

  • hwt
    hwt Member Posts: 2,328 Member
    #12
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    debbiejeanne said:

    wow, Estelle, that's scary

    wow, Estelle, that's scary that nobody knew about having only one kidney.  i'm glad it hasn't caused any problems anyway.

    dj

    dj

    I read allot of "unchanged". One of my reports had mention of a ground glass thing in the lung but then it went away. The fact that they don't need to see you for such a long period of time sounds promising :-)

     

  • ErthWlkr
    ErthWlkr Member Posts: 60
    #13
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    debbiejeanne said:

    wow, Estelle, that's scary

    wow, Estelle, that's scary that nobody knew about having only one kidney.  i'm glad it hasn't caused any problems anyway.

    dj

    Hi DJ -

    It's a risk to read thru a report without having a doc handy to ask questions. The scans can certainly have a dark quality to them and can also sometimes be misleading. What I would recommend is that if you read a scan and see something that doesn't make sense, you should give a call to the doc's office and speak to him/her or one of the attending nurses and physician's assistants.

    The report details things that have been seen before with no changes. The calicification in the arteries is most likely due to diet, lifestyle, and gene pool - something that can also be discussed with a cardiologist. Don't know if you're on any meds but you might be a candidate for a statin for instance to bring your blood cholesterol numbers in line.

    As far as uptake is concerned - can be cancer, can't be cancer. If it was something to be truly concerned about most likely the doc would send you for a PET with contrast. That's really scare the bejeezus out you - they pick up everything!

    Had it happen to me - a scan picked up what at first appeared to be a harmless growth in my left lung although it was partially blocking my airway. Because of my cancer background, they decided to set me for a PET. The radiologist sent it back with an opinion that it indicated malignancy. How's that for a buzzword!

    Did go for surgery with the intention to clear the airway and biopsy the growth. Turned out it was a growth at all - seems I aspirated a bit of bone which lodged intself in my lower lung and then started to collected a lot of junk around it. That's what lit up on the scan.

    I'm NOT saying that any finding in the report is to be ignored - but gather your questions and ask the doc. He would be the best resource. If you want to take it a step further, see a pulmonologist if you haven't done that already...

    Just some thoughts - and my opinion only... :)

    - Jeff

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #14
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    you guys really know your

    you guys really know your stuff!!  the doc just called and said its NOTHING to worry about.  we'll check it again in 6 months.  yay me!!  thank you everyone for your feedback.  it really dose make one calm down to hear your wealth of experience.  thank you so much.

    dj

  • Anonymous7/6/2023
    Anonymous7/6/2023 Member Posts: 176
    #15
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    debbiejeanne said:

    you guys really know your

    you guys really know your stuff!!  the doc just called and said its NOTHING to worry about.  we'll check it again in 6 months.  yay me!!  thank you everyone for your feedback.  it really dose make one calm down to hear your wealth of experience.  thank you so much.

    dj

    The fact that they aren't

    The fact that they aren't dragging you in for a good while, that's encouraging!

  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    #16
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    ratface said:

    Calcifications are identified in the coronary arteries

    I had the same sentence in mine and this is probably the least of your worries. Every coronor will tell you that pretty much every  person has calcification in the arteries. During the Vietnam war countless autopsies were done on very young men, mostly all in their early twenties and almost all of them had calcification of the arteries. It's an inescapable by-product of our modern diet and lifestyle. 

    Calcifications in the coronary arteries!

    Calcifications - I got em too, but mine were described as "post-radiation changes" because they were in the radiation field.  I gotta disagree with Ratface on these calcifications being a by-product of our modern diet and lifestyle.  I do a bit of reading in the fields of archaeology and anthropology, and there is some new information out there regarding the extent to which the ancient Egyptians displayed calcifications and other signs of coronary artery disease, as revealed by X-ray and other scans of ancient Egyptian mummies. Yep, they had the same as we do now. Fascinating stuff.

    Deb

  • Jeff2159
    Jeff2159 Member Posts: 108
    #17
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    debbiejeanne said:

    wow, Estelle, that's scary

    wow, Estelle, that's scary that nobody knew about having only one kidney.  i'm glad it hasn't caused any problems anyway.

    dj

    One Kidney

    DJ its scary to know you have only one kidney too. It limits the type of drugs I can take as some drugs can damage the kidneys during treatment

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