PET Results....

Skiffin16
Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
edited September 2013 in Head and Neck Cancer #1

A scare and anxiety for a few hours, but ended well....

Got my report, and the MD writing the report didn't give me an all clear...

He actually wrote;

IMPRESSION

There is a new small area of hypermetabolic activity within the infratonsillar region of the pharynx as described (another area of the report). This has an undetermined appearance. The possibility of developing small metastatic lesion in this region is not excluded. Recommend direct visualization by ENT exam."

Well if that isn't enough to give you an Ole'S.hit moment... So in other words, he's covering his butt by saying he thinks he sees something new, but I'm not saying it's cancer. but I'm not excluding it either...hmmmphf....

So off to see my ENT and luckily he got me in, checked the report and scan images, along with a scope down the nostrils and a big EEEEE.

All looks good, nothing concerns him....

He has always told me the scans are just tools, he's the expert... I trust him totally....

He suggested that the MD's that read and summarize the scans aren't all experienced in H&N, so they can tend to interpret results differently than he or another H&N MD would.

WooHoo....

Now I gotta excuse myself while I go change my shorts...

JG

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Comments

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #2
    your OK, I am ???

    John,

    Well OK, this stuff makes me nervous.  I am glad for the second review and the results.

    You made me get sick to my stomach (for a second)

    Enjoy you day,

    Matt

  • jcortney
    jcortney Member Posts: 503
    #3
    Understandable (about the shorts I mean)

    I was near changing mine as I read your post.

     

    whew.............

  • TracyLynn72
    TracyLynn72 Member Posts: 839
    #4
    Oh gosh...

    I started feeling a little sick reading this...then it turned around!  :)  WOOHOO for ENTs!!!  So glad you were able to see the expert and he's not concerned with anything.  

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #5
    Hi John

     

    Yep and that is something we all need to remember, the people reading the scan don’t have the last word. I am like you I trust my ENT, she is the best doctor I found in a very long time and I have faith in what she does. Not to say she is very nice looking aswell.  

     

    Glad for you my friend

    Hondo  

  • wolfen
    wolfen Member Posts: 1,324 Member
    #6
    Hondo said:

    Hi John

     

    Yep and that is something we all need to remember, the people reading the scan don’t have the last word. I am like you I trust my ENT, she is the best doctor I found in a very long time and I have faith in what she does. Not to say she is very nice looking aswell.  

     

    Glad for you my friend

    Hondo  

    Wow, John!

    What a scare we all just had, not to mention how it was for you! I'm so glad all is well and that the ENT quickly cleared up the doubt.

    Luv,

    Wolfen

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #7
    LOL....I saw your post on FB

    so I knew this story had a good ending...  Congrats John, on another NED in your pocket!!! 

    p

  • fishmanpa
    fishmanpa Member Posts: 1,227 Member
    #8
    Brown Shoes Don't Make It!

    Quit School...why fake it....  

    Like P... I saw thngs were good but that had to be an "Oh Sh^$" moment... literally!

    Glad to hear the good news!

    "T"

     

  • jtl
    jtl Member Posts: 456
    #9
    Congrats

    How often are you getting the CT/PET scans?  My ENT has told me many times he can find a problem and the scans are more problematic than most people realize.  I actually get scoped by my RO in addition to my ENT.  I suppose if we look for potential problems enough we will find them.  

  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #10
    john, after that huge scare

    john, after that huge scare i'm dancing around the kitchen for the good news.  i hope u did a dance as well.  use shout on ur shorts and u'll never b able to tell u had an "oh chit" moment, lol.  seriously, sorry about the scare and praising God for the ENT report!!

    dj

  • donfoo
    donfoo Member Posts: 1,773 Member
    #11
    lesson

    Easy lesson - we are not licensed ENT so we can really not accurately interpret reading these usually opaque reports. For certain best left to the professional to read and interpret for us and give us the English translation.

    I know when I read my read my reports fresh off the printer ahead of the doctors, I ALWAYS tell myself that if it reads scary, not to get upset but ring the doctor fast and tell them to translate. My last one was quite clear to read and understand so that is ok but still might not be good if you read something as good and doctor translates as something not so good.

    Even though I have read every report on my own, the better way is to let it filter through your doctor, if you can stand the wait. Embarassed

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #12
    donfoo said:

    lesson

    Easy lesson - we are not licensed ENT so we can really not accurately interpret reading these usually opaque reports. For certain best left to the professional to read and interpret for us and give us the English translation.

    I know when I read my read my reports fresh off the printer ahead of the doctors, I ALWAYS tell myself that if it reads scary, not to get upset but ring the doctor fast and tell them to translate. My last one was quite clear to read and understand so that is ok but still might not be good if you read something as good and doctor translates as something not so good.

    Even though I have read every report on my own, the better way is to let it filter through your doctor, if you can stand the wait. Embarassed

    Scans and Reports..

    Actually my ENT is not a fan of too many scans... This one was oredered by my onco... She is still on the CT at six months and a PET at twelve..., now going into year five post Tx... January 2009 when I was Dx, and June 2009 finished up Tx.

    I haven't had any questionable scans that I couldn't decipher myself up to this one... And this one left no doubt that the reading MD thought he saw changes... , or he did, but nothing that concerned my ENT. My ENT whom has been very hands on since his intial Dx that started this ball rolling..

    In reality, though I was having some anxiety trying to set in, I was actually pretty certain that it would be OK. My ENT still scopes me every few months, every six months this last scan, so he just gave me the all clear four months ago.

    So until I got in and saw him, I was pretty sure I was OK..., but you still have a few doubts.

    And we all know, it's not something until they tell you it is...

     

    Thanks for all of the thoughts, prayers and well wishes...

    John

  • KTeacher
    KTeacher Member Posts: 1,103 Member
    #13
    Skiffin16 said:

    Scans and Reports..

    Actually my ENT is not a fan of too many scans... This one was oredered by my onco... She is still on the CT at six months and a PET at twelve..., now going into year five post Tx... January 2009 when I was Dx, and June 2009 finished up Tx.

    I haven't had any questionable scans that I couldn't decipher myself up to this one... And this one left no doubt that the reading MD thought he saw changes... , or he did, but nothing that concerned my ENT. My ENT whom has been very hands on since his intial Dx that started this ball rolling..

    In reality, though I was having some anxiety trying to set in, I was actually pretty certain that it would be OK. My ENT still scopes me every few months, every six months this last scan, so he just gave me the all clear four months ago.

    So until I got in and saw him, I was pretty sure I was OK..., but you still have a few doubts.

    And we all know, it's not something until they tell you it is...

     

    Thanks for all of the thoughts, prayers and well wishes...

    John

    Never find mine

    I usually have false positive not negative.  It's not until my surgeon looks at the scans that something is seen!  But then again, I put the ABI in abi-normal!

    Glad you were able to get to the ENT sooner rather than later, it's the waiting that gets us.

  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #14
    nice eye's

    nice eye's your ent has

    btw, i don't save my shorts when they are dirtied like yours

    amazing how quickly we depend on a scan when the ultimate certainty is results from biopsy

    still the anxiety takes hold and brings us to bent knee's.... why because our shorts are full...... Laughing

    sleep well

    john 

  • luv4lacrosse
    luv4lacrosse Member Posts: 1,410 Member
    #15
    Scans are good but,,,,

    A visual with human eyes are the best. News sounds great, no go drink a Corona and fish!!

    Good for u my friend

    Mike

  • sin9775
    sin9775 Member Posts: 199 Member
    #16
    Happiness is hearing NED!

    I am so glad your roller coaster ride ended well.  Wishing you many more years of NED!

    ~S~

  • cadharose
    cadharose Member Posts: 52
    #17
    This stuff is SCARY, isn't

    This stuff is SCARY, isn't it? I've had a couple such incidents so far in this odyssey that I'm on. I get a scan and someone sees something in it, and says something about it ("area of activity" that "needs to be watched" or what have you) that SCARES me to DEATH. And then in the end...my doctor tells me it's nothing and she's not in the least concerned about it. And then I can exhale. It's like being dangled over a cliff and then pulled back again.

    I'm so happy for you that it turned out to be nothing. That is always a such a relief.

  • katenorwood
    katenorwood Member Posts: 1,912
    #18
    Where are we now 87 bottles lol !

    John,

    I have all my reports.  (written)  And no I'm not a MD.....no white coat.  But still it's nice to have someone you trust with your life (literally) explain the why's and how comes.  I'm so happy to hear your in the clear my friend !  A bottle of cold beer on me, and some fishing time for you is my RX.  Hugs sent !  Katie

  • Grandmax4
    Grandmax4 Member Posts: 723
    #19
    Skif

    I'm gonna have to put you in a time out if you ever do this again~~whoa, my heart was thumping for a few seconds..awesome, that all is well!!

  • cureitall66
    cureitall66 Member Posts: 913
    #20
    Skiffin16 said:

    Scans and Reports..

    Actually my ENT is not a fan of too many scans... This one was oredered by my onco... She is still on the CT at six months and a PET at twelve..., now going into year five post Tx... January 2009 when I was Dx, and June 2009 finished up Tx.

    I haven't had any questionable scans that I couldn't decipher myself up to this one... And this one left no doubt that the reading MD thought he saw changes... , or he did, but nothing that concerned my ENT. My ENT whom has been very hands on since his intial Dx that started this ball rolling..

    In reality, though I was having some anxiety trying to set in, I was actually pretty certain that it would be OK. My ENT still scopes me every few months, every six months this last scan, so he just gave me the all clear four months ago.

    So until I got in and saw him, I was pretty sure I was OK..., but you still have a few doubts.

    And we all know, it's not something until they tell you it is...

     

    Thanks for all of the thoughts, prayers and well wishes...

    John

    Problem solved.....

    Glad you got in to see that ENT as quick as you did to give you peace of mind! Kreg's ENT always told him that through her scopes she does regularly (6-8 wks) she would be the first to see something before a scan would. But, she also enforces him to still do regular checks to his neck himself.

    It's all good Bro....I have faith. 

    ~Cris

  • jthornsbury
    jthornsbury Member Posts: 62
    #21
    Glad to hear!!

    Was worried there for a minute but glad to hear that all was resolved! 

     

    Jon

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