CT Scan Results

mp327
mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member

I had my follow-up CT scan yesterday as a follow-up to the questionable area on my liver on previous scans done last summer.  Here are the results.

1)  No definite CT evidence of recurrent or metastatic disease.

2)  Stable 3 mm hypodensity within the right lobe of the liver which is too small to characterize but statistically most likely represents a tiny cyst or hemangioma.

3)  Stable vague decreased area of density adjacent to the gallbladder fossa possibly representing focal fat versus altered perfusion.

4)  Evidence of prior granulomatous disease.

It appears that there have been no changes since the last scan on August 23, 2014, so I am told that everything looks good, as per my radiologist friend.  I will be seeing my med onc on Tuesday to go over the results.

Martha

Comments

  • eihtak
    eihtak Member Posts: 1,473 Member
    Martha....

    As I've said before I am jealous of your radiologist friend and wish I had such a neighbor as well!  It must take some anxiety away while waiting to see your oncologist for results.

    Congratulations on what appears to be a good report!!  I know the concern for this spot on your liver must have been tucked in the back of your mind for a while and maybe now it can be put to rest.

    I had to look up "granulomatous disease"..................

    Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a genetic disorder in which certain immune system cells are unable to kill some types of bacteria and fungi. The disorder leads to long term (chronic) and repeated (recurrent) infections. The condition is often discovered in very early childhood. Milder forms may be diagnosed during the teen years or even in adulthood.

    Has anyone in your family had any concerns that you know of with their liver???? Or have you prior to your cancer diagnosis?

    Anyhow, I am so glad to hear of your healthy scan and as I get focused to continue this fight myself, I am inspired when hearing the positive reports of health from others and wish you a loooooong lifetime of many more good reports!

    katheryn

  • lp1964
    lp1964 Member Posts: 1,239 Member
    That sounds good to me!

    Dear Martha. You are the rock for this group and wish you many years of prosperous life.

    Laz

  • TraceyUSA
    TraceyUSA Member Posts: 316
    Happy for you

    Good news is always great to hear! 

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    TraceyUSA said:

    Happy for you

    Good news is always great to hear! 

    Thank you!

    Thank you all for your words of support and congratulations!  I am, indeed, relieved to get these results and know that everything remains stable.  Hopefully, no growth means no cancer!

    Katheryn, the information you posted is spot on.  The granulomatous disease mentioned in the findings is, in the opinion of my med onc, evidence of an old histoplasmosis infection.  It appeared on my staging PET scan in June 2008 and has been noted on each scan since then.  When it showed up on that first PET, my oncologist discussed it with me.  He said that a lot of people who grew up or have lived in areas of the country where agriculture is the primary occupation are unknowingly infected with histoplasmosis.  The infection is caused by spores that are in the soil and are released into the air when the soil is tilled or plowed, then are breathed into the lungs.  His first question to me was where I grew up--in the Midwest in farm country.  So he has never had any concerns about these granulomas in my lungs.  They are "calcified," meaning they are old and there is no active disease.  I've probably had them since childhood and may never have known they were there had I not had cancer. 

    It seems that we learn all kinds of things about our insides that we never knew before when we have these scans--cysts on our kidneys and granulomas in our lungs and on our spleen, such as in my case.  I could have gone my entire life without knowing about these things, but thanks to cancer, it's a bit of TMI!

    Thanks again to all of you for your continued support and virtual hugs!

    Martha

  • pializ
    pializ Member Posts: 508 Member
    mp327 said:

    Thank you!

    Thank you all for your words of support and congratulations!  I am, indeed, relieved to get these results and know that everything remains stable.  Hopefully, no growth means no cancer!

    Katheryn, the information you posted is spot on.  The granulomatous disease mentioned in the findings is, in the opinion of my med onc, evidence of an old histoplasmosis infection.  It appeared on my staging PET scan in June 2008 and has been noted on each scan since then.  When it showed up on that first PET, my oncologist discussed it with me.  He said that a lot of people who grew up or have lived in areas of the country where agriculture is the primary occupation are unknowingly infected with histoplasmosis.  The infection is caused by spores that are in the soil and are released into the air when the soil is tilled or plowed, then are breathed into the lungs.  His first question to me was where I grew up--in the Midwest in farm country.  So he has never had any concerns about these granulomas in my lungs.  They are "calcified," meaning they are old and there is no active disease.  I've probably had them since childhood and may never have known they were there had I not had cancer. 

    It seems that we learn all kinds of things about our insides that we never knew before when we have these scans--cysts on our kidneys and granulomas in our lungs and on our spleen, such as in my case.  I could have gone my entire life without knowing about these things, but thanks to cancer, it's a bit of TMI!

    Thanks again to all of you for your continued support and virtual hugs!

    Martha

    Phew!!! Thank goodness for such a good result. I don't think any of us will ever feel relaxed about scans. Part of the scarring Of having a cancer diagnosis I guess. 

    I hope you are suitably celebrating the news

    liz

     

  • qv62
    qv62 Member Posts: 434 Member
    mp327

    Glad to hear the good news Martha, I bet you wil be celebrating on Tuesday !

  • z
    z Member Posts: 1,414 Member
    Martha

    Wonderful News!  I wish you continued good health. Lori  Laughing

  • 0626june
    0626june Member Posts: 73
    Dear Martha,

    I'd be interpreting those as good results! You are such a big help to all of us on here that your great news makes me extra joyful!

    June

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    0626june said:

    Dear Martha,

    I'd be interpreting those as good results! You are such a big help to all of us on here that your great news makes me extra joyful!

    June

    Thank you everyone!

    I appreciate all the well wishes and the congrats!  Hubby's birthday is Thursday and we will celebrate that and my good results!  I greatly appreciate all the support--y'all are the best!

  • Lorikat
    Lorikat Member Posts: 681 Member
    Dancing, dancing for you!  

    Dancing, dancing for you!   My scans are on 3/2.....  And then MORE dancing!

     

  • Adam26
    Adam26 Member Posts: 125
    mp327 said:

    Thank you everyone!

    I appreciate all the well wishes and the congrats!  Hubby's birthday is Thursday and we will celebrate that and my good results!  I greatly appreciate all the support--y'all are the best!

    Glad to hear this Martha!

    Glad to hear this Martha!

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    Adam26 said:

    Glad to hear this Martha!

    Glad to hear this Martha!

    Adam

    Thank you very much!  I am good for another year!

    Martha

  • mp327
    mp327 Member Posts: 4,440 Member
    Lorikat said:

    Dancing, dancing for you!  

    Dancing, dancing for you!   My scans are on 3/2.....  And then MORE dancing!

     

    Oncologist Appt.

    First off, Lorikat, thank you!  And please know that I am sending good thoughts and prayers for you to have a clean scan on 3/2.

    I saw my med onc today and he was pleased with the scan results--nothing alarming in his opinion.  However, he still wishes to keep an eye on the liver/gallbladder area, so I will have another scan in a year, followed by an appt. with him.  I told him that I have pain in the right rib area sometimes, which I would rate at a 4 out of 10.  He told me to see him in 6 months and at that time, the scan will be ordered for 6 months (or sooner if I am having any symptoms).  He also would like for me to see an orthopedist regarding my right hip pain.  However, I am going to delay that to see if things improve.

    That's all I know for now!  Thank you again, everyone, for your support!

    Martha

  • horsepad
    horsepad Member Posts: 146 Member
    mp327 said:

    Oncologist Appt.

    First off, Lorikat, thank you!  And please know that I am sending good thoughts and prayers for you to have a clean scan on 3/2.

    I saw my med onc today and he was pleased with the scan results--nothing alarming in his opinion.  However, he still wishes to keep an eye on the liver/gallbladder area, so I will have another scan in a year, followed by an appt. with him.  I told him that I have pain in the right rib area sometimes, which I would rate at a 4 out of 10.  He told me to see him in 6 months and at that time, the scan will be ordered for 6 months (or sooner if I am having any symptoms).  He also would like for me to see an orthopedist regarding my right hip pain.  However, I am going to delay that to see if things improve.

    That's all I know for now!  Thank you again, everyone, for your support!

    Martha

    Wonderful news. 

    Wonderful news.  Congratulations!

  • sandysp
    sandysp Member Posts: 868 Member
    mp327 said:

    Oncologist Appt.

    First off, Lorikat, thank you!  And please know that I am sending good thoughts and prayers for you to have a clean scan on 3/2.

    I saw my med onc today and he was pleased with the scan results--nothing alarming in his opinion.  However, he still wishes to keep an eye on the liver/gallbladder area, so I will have another scan in a year, followed by an appt. with him.  I told him that I have pain in the right rib area sometimes, which I would rate at a 4 out of 10.  He told me to see him in 6 months and at that time, the scan will be ordered for 6 months (or sooner if I am having any symptoms).  He also would like for me to see an orthopedist regarding my right hip pain.  However, I am going to delay that to see if things improve.

    That's all I know for now!  Thank you again, everyone, for your support!

    Martha

    yeah!

    Sometimes I think we get too much information from our scans. It is so unnerving! But even so it is really good to hear things look stable. I have hemangiomas (sp) on my liver also that are of no concern but not the other problem. It is so interesting. Environment is a factor in ways I never knew until now with your post. 

    Keep advocating for yourself. Pain is there to tell us something. I know we have learned a lot from this experience.

    Fondly

    Sandy