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Newbie with Ct Scans...Questions...


ash0479

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OK, I am a newbie here and have been reading some of the posts on this sight. You people are great and have amazing knowledge on this subject...Here is my situation...

CT Scan of the Chest , Abdomen and Pelvic area done on 7/25/2006 showed 3 different 3mm "highly probably benign" nodules, one in the right lung and 2 in the left lung...

Follow up CT Scan of Chest and Thorax only (Angiography) showed nothing, no nudoles, growths, pluery embolism, etc...

CT Scan of Abdomen for Abdominal pain 3 days after Angiogrpahy....mentioned that there are 4 small nodules on the lower left lung...

OK how can these three result s be so different..Had 2 lung doctors tell me thse are two small to biopsy if they are there, both said that multiple nodules are usually disrupted blood vessels or scar tissues...They seem to have more faith in the CT Scan of only the chest and Thorax(Angiography)...any thoughts..

I have not symtoms, no shortness of breathe, they did a breating test and came back 112% better than everyone my age...

Thoughts on these tests?? Thanks... :?::?:

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I know this probably does not mean much, but all of my blood work from the last 3 months remains the same, from Lymphocytes to RBC, to WBC, etc...Not lymph involvement, brain scan is OK...

I am just worried...if this would be spresding would it be doing so through the lymp systems, there would have been signs of enlarged lymphs in the CT Scan right...goodness they have me anxiious...I was fine with the initial scan saying highly probably benign and a follow up for stability...now three tests with three different results...first test was read by the Cleveland Clinic department of radiology which is a very successful hospital...other two were with hospitals in our area...

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I am not sure, but I might wonder if what showed up on the 2 scans were image artifacts rather than actual structures. The chest ct scan would give a better closeup of structures. Anyway, I would not worry about 3 mm structures. If an identified nodule were monitored over time and approached 1 cm., then I would worry. You could ask for another chest ct scan in 3 or 6 months just to make sure.

Don M

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Same thing my lung docotr said, sometimes blood vessels or something may cause this to happen, the Chest CT Scan Angiography is what showed up clean so I am hapy with that and will get checked in a few months...anyone else...

The reson I ask is the first scan said nodules in both lungs and the last scan of abdomen said nodules in the left lung...so I was not to sure why that would be...what can you do...I am hoping the Chest CT is correct, they a more deailed view that way anyways...

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Hi there,

A lot of times those nodules come and go and are a result of inflammation, infection, or just getting older. That's one reason that CT scans aren't routinely given for lung cancer screening....they show up a lot of stuff that just won't hurt anyone ever, but then that leads to a lot of tests to determine that they are nothing.

In any event, yours are way too small to try to remove or biopsy, so the 'watch' plan seems the right way to go.

Bloodwork doesn't really say anything about whether these are or aren't anything...but it's good that your counts are normal, etc because then you don't have blood irregularities to worry about.

I know how hard worrying about this is, but "highly probable benign" is what you need to focus on.

Cindy

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Thanks chloes mom I really appreciate that, thats what everyone is telling me to focus on...and the angiography...they are also telling me that the chest scan/angiography would be the most accurate test that showed nothing...I am just scared...I am only 27 and just begining my life...

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Hi Ash!

I thought you might be 27 from your screen name...My oldest son was born in '79 - and you are right...you are WAY too young to be worrying about this stuff (not that it can't happen to someone your age, but it certainly reduces the odds, dramatically.)

That said, I would have to echo the information you've already received here. Usually, these CTs are performed in 5mm slices. If that was the case with yours, it's possible that some of your nodules were "hiding" between slices, so to speak, and thus were not visible on some scans, while they were there on others.

Infection, inflammation, and even vessels "on end" (as my Mayo pulmo. termed them) can show up as multiple, tiny nodules. Many have nodules that resolve after a course of antibiotics, or anti-fungals. In any case, no doctor will really consider a bx until they are approx. 10mm or larger. The risks are just too high, and the chances of subcentimeter nodules representing cancer, especially in a person of your age, are so small, the risks outweigh the benefits.

Currently, nodules smaller than 5mm are followed annually by Mayo Clinic. Your doctor might want to rescan in 3-6 months to check for change, anyway. Personally, that would be my choice - it's hard to wait & wonder. Then, if they are still there, but unchanged, you could maybe wait another 6 months to a year.

The mental part is the hardest. Try not to let the wait take too much of a toll. You ARE young, and have MUCH better things to be thinking about. And when you DO get freaked...come here to rant - everyone here gets it!

Yours in HOPE!

Stacey

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I have also heard that multiple nodules is a good sign, is that correct? Can a 3mm nodule do damage? The lung doctor said he would even attempt to go in an biopsy becaause it is just to small...also since the second scan came back clean...who knows I am confused and thinking that I am dying already...

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I think I read that more than 6-7 nodules often indicates benign disease, but I have heard of many cases of multifocal (multinodular) BAC that manifest with numerous nodules. How do they describe yours? Calcified, or not? Solid, or more of a "ground-glass" opacity? Are they round, or irregular? All of these factors will help your docs determine the probability of malignancy in a nodule. A 3mm nodule, in and of itself, is probably not very likely to cause symptoms. Have you seen how tiny 3mm is on a ruler? It's teeny. My first pulmonologist had said you could basically pick through the entire lung, and still not find something that small.

Try (and I know how hard it can be :wink: ) to put this out of your mind 'til your next scan. You must not allow this to play these kind of "mindfreaks" on you. You've got a whole lotta living to do, and like Miss Cindi says, anything less than a whole lotta living is just a waste of good energy! :wink:

I've got tons of nodule info...PM me if you need to chat further - and TRY NOT TO WORRY!! 8)

BTW - what part of the country are you in? Have they tested for TB, VF, Histoplasmosis, or any of the other regulars?

Yours in watch!

Stacey

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thinking they were calcified because they said "highly probably benign" on the report...so was not worried, then had the chest only with contrast and said nothing...so I am assuming these are scared tissue but like everyone else, it is wait and see game now...should have never did the scan in the first place is what I am thinking now...oh well better safe than sorry

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