Ct scan and pancreatic cancer

Shepster47
Shepster47 Member Posts: 2
edited August 2022 in Rare and Other Cancers #1

Hi

Im 47 and from the UK. Im not sure if i should post this as i havent yet been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Around a year ago i started getting mid back pains on and off. Then i noticed 6 months ago i also had back pain inbetween my shoulder blades continuously.

Around 4 months ago i started getting a pain just below my left ribs and also bad indigestion after a meal for a few hours. During this time my stools went light brown and I noticed undigested food in my b/m's.

3 months ago i was in alot of pain and went to a&e and they admitted me as my bilirubin was also very high.

I had a ct scan while admitted with iv contrast. This came back clear and my bilirubin was attributed to gilberts syndrome. I was discharged.

A few days later i had a previously booked ultrasound and a few weeks later had a endoscopy on my stomach. The radiologist doing the ultrasound said all my organs looked fine but due to stomach gas couldnt see all my pancreas. But what she could see looked ok. The endoscopy found a large hiatus hernia.

Im still getting the pains in my left rib area and its worse when i lay down at night. I am also still getting the pains when i eat. Due to this continued pain and the nhs dragging their heels i paid to see a private consultant who had her team have a 2nd look at my ct scan. Her team came to the same conclusion that the ct scan was normal. She arranged for me to have a faecal elastase test which also came back as normal. My b/m's are still a mustard and light brown colour.

 I am very worried as its been 3 months since the ct scan and my pains are still here and i think are even slightly more painful. Im now worried that the ct scan has missed something. I had iv contrast but not oral. 

Ive read ct scans can miss a pancreatic cancer. My private consultant says if the pains im having were from pancteatic cancer it would be advanced and they would definitely have seen something on the ct scan.

I know ive had it checked twice, but I guess my main worry is that the ct scan wasnt good enough to differentiate a tumour from normal pancreas tissue.  I am thinking of paying for an mrcp as i am sure my pancreas is involved as my pain is worse when i lay down.

Has anyone had a missed tumour on a ct scan and does anyone know how often this happens.  Surely if a tumour was to snall to be seen then i shouldnt be getting all these pains.

Should the fact that no mets were spotted on the ct scan and my faecal elastase was normal mean pancreatic cancer is unlikely. Should i get the mrcp test to make sure its not cancer. I do worry that if the ct scan has missed something its already too late and i will be terminal.

Paul

 

 

Comments

  • Kaleena
    Kaleena Member Posts: 2,088 Member
    Sorry you are having problems

    Hello Shepster:

    Sorry to hear about your problems.   My husband has pancreatic cancer and his only symptom was that he turned yellow.   I have had pancreatitis.   It seems that you are experiencing this.   Have them check your lipase levels.   I went to the hospital as I was having chest pains and indigestion.  I passed all the heart tests but my lipase levels were extremely high and I ended having to stay in the hospital for 4 days until my levels came back to normal

  • Shepster47
    Shepster47 Member Posts: 2
    edited January 2018 #3
    Thank you for replying.

    Thank you for replying.

    Yes i will ask them as im unsure if thats been tested.

    Would pancreatitis have shown on the ct scan? Is it when the pancreas is swollen?

    Also i always thought with pancreatitis you are in absolute agony. Mine is a continuous pain but about a 3 out of 10.

    4 out of 10 when i lay down.

    Did your husbands pancreatic cancer show on a ct scan?

     

     

  • Spanners
    Spanners Member Posts: 1 *

    Hi Paul,

    I'm curious. What happened in the end? I'm experiencing something similar.

    Thanks

    Marie

  • Khanick
    Khanick Member Posts: 2 Member

    What about a PET Scan (Nuclear) ? I believe this would be a good suggestion for them to see more. I had one and it showed highlighted areas in my Rt Iliac area that were identified as "fast growing cells" cancer. My original item I was seen for was my left supraclavicular area by my neck which was biopsied and was cancer. Had they not done the PET scan we would not have known about the other area which it most likely originated.