CT ok (I think), granuloma

Im not sure what to say. I just remember when i was first done with treatments my doctors both said we dont need to do cat scans unless you have symtoms. I hated that. It was hard. After so long ( i think 6 months) i requested a cat scan cause i felt i just had to know there was no cancer

Its so hard i hear either way a person chooses to go with knowledge about follow up. My scans have all been clear. I did end up having one other cat scan at the doctors request which was a shock since i had no symtoms. I didnt want to do that one because i was hoping that because i didnt have symtoms i was in the clear. Ended up waiting tell after scan and the results before i could feel comfotable about being NED

I know yours is a bit different and hope you can just enjoy your days ahead.  

There is a company that does cmplete body scans.   A person can have them without a doctors order, but then the company doesn't follow up.  so the patient brings the scans to the  Family doctors office and the doctor has to go through all the abnormalities found on the scans.  I don't know how old you are, but the older we are the most "stuff" they find on the scans.  Then the problem becomes do we investigate all the things shown.  I had an early stage serous carcinoma.  18 months out I have not had a scan for this reason.  It certainly is part of the diesease, the dealing with the possibility of recurrence.  I am glad to read that it was endometrioid.  And Its good to come and talk about worrying about it here.  We all get it.   Just me, as a nurse reading those results sound pretty normal. 

Lisa, I'm sorry your scan has resulted in worry. So you have CT scans instead of PET? That's interesting, because my onc relies on PET and has only done a CT after surgery and then once when she wanted more detail about something that worried her on the PET (turned out i had an infection, nothing else). I know from the two CTs I had that they show a LOT of potentially worrisome things that don't necessarily turn into something bad. My onc then used the PET and CT together to get a full picturre. Have they said what they plan to do with the info about the tiny lung nodule?

Also re: diverticulosis. That showed up on my last scan 6 months ago and also the scan I just had. It was the first time. I raised it with my onc because I'd had a clear colonoscopy and she waved it off, saying it probably wasn't diverticulosis and was more likely to be scarring from surgery and that I don't even need to think about it unless I start getting symptoms of diverticulosis.

the posts I read.  Since you have a new case of diverticulosis, maybe you should request a copy sent to the gastroenterologist who did your colonoscopy.  And make an appointment to see if there is anything you should be doing to protect your bowel.   Doesn't hurt to have lots of docs familiiar with your case. 

Fridays Child said:

Thanks for the update

Lisa, sorry to hear that your scan raised a concern, but I hope everything is okay.  You had mentioned the microscopic colitis (did I  remember that right?) - could that be related to the diverticulosis?

My first CT, for hip pain  two years after surgery, indicated mild diverticulosis, as did my colonoscopy and every CT since, although I've never had symptoms.  They said most people have it to some degree as we get older.

My oncologist has ordered a number of PET scans which are denied by insurance so I have CTs every three months to monitor the remaining lesions.

Good luck, and I hope everything is okay!

 

 

Hi Lisa, 

What does your gynecologic oncologist have to say about the CT results?  If he/she is comfortable with the results, and if you have no symptoms, I would file the report away.  As for the diverticulosis, I agree with Forherself that sending a copy of the report to your gastro is a good idea.  Maybe you have diverticulosis and maybe you don't.  I think it's important to note that research suggests that about 35% of people age 50 and younger have diverticulosis, while about 58% of those over 60 have it.  See:  https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/diverticulosis-diverticulitis/definition-facts.  It would be interesting to hear what your gastro's take is on the results of the CT as it relates to the diverticulosis finding. 

I know imaging can have a valuable place in the first few years after treatment.  However, as you know, the downside is all sorts of incidental findings that in many cases are nothing of concern, but can provoke some degree of anxiety.  For example, in 2014 I had to have an MRI of my kidneys because of blood in my urine.  The incidental finding from that test was a suspected "cavernous hemangioma" of my liver.  Sounded pretty ominous to me at first, but it really is nothing but a benign tumor of the liver made up of blood vessels.  A 2018 MRI showed that it was still there, but that radiologist reported it as a little smaller than four years earlier.  I've come to believe over the past 20 years since my endometrial cancer diagnosis that as long as you do tests, in the majority of cases you will have incidental findings. 

Best of luck to you, Lisa!  I hope your doctor agrees that the results of your report are perfectly fine!!

LisaPizza said:

I don't have any input from

I don't have any input from her yet, as my appointment isn't until 11/26. I peeked. I know some say to wait and hear test results from your doc, but I would never be able to think of my questions on the spot. It's not like I'm panicking, just not 100% at ease.

Much rather  read it first so I know what to ask.  I've been blindsided once and don't  really want to do that again.

LisaPizza said:

Thanks, that's interesting.

Thanks, that's interesting. Even the CT is cosidered optional, I've not seen PETs done for surveillance in this cancer. I know they're even more expensive than CT, and a lot insurance companies won't pay for them without particular justification. I suppose she may do one to further evaluate, but honestly I suspect they will just repeat in 6 months, possibly less, and not do anything else unless it changes. I wonder if 2 mm is even big enough to reliably depend on PET. But I'm sure your doc chose CT based on your particulars.

 

I was also thinking that it's really just radiation changes and not diverticulosis. It amazes me how subjective radiology reports are. I wouldn't think I'd develop diverticulosis in just 9 months.

I'm allergic to the iodine in CT contrast, so when I have a CT it's really only useful for above the waist. Maybe that's why I seem to be getting PETs instead of CTs like the rest of you and why my insurance hasn't denied me.