What does a SUV of 3.7 mean?

[Robb676]

Sampled SUV max of physiologic hepatic activity: 3.7. 

The honest brutal truth is appreciated.

[Robb676]

-Emphysematous changes with apical bullous disease.

[Robb676]

-Small subcentimeter bilateral pulmonary nodules, the majority of which appear stable, with suggestion of mild enlargement of a medial left anterior upper lobe nodule measuring 4 x 6 mm as compared with the prior 2018 PET/CT. These are not metabolically active.
-Small subcentimeter left anterior and liver dome hepatic cyst.

[Tom Galli]

Robb,

"Sampled SUV max of physiologic hepatic activity: 3.7." Meaning: SUV of 2 or less is considered normal cellular metabolism (not cancer). SUVs between 2 and 4 could be metabolic disease (cancer) but SUVs in this range can be caused by inflammation, irritation or infection. See this for an understanding of PET scans.

"Emphysematous changes with apical bullous disease" means lung changes that are consistent with the presence of emphysema. (apical bullous disease is the most common form of emphysema).

"Small sub centimeter bilateral pulmonary nodules, the majority of which appear stable, with suggestion of mild enlargement of a medial left anterior upper lobe nodule measuring 4 x 6 mm as compared with the prior PET/CT. These are not metabolically active." This means you have several (many) nodules less than a centimeter (less than 3/8" of an inch) in both lungs and most of these are stable (unchanged from last scan). One in the medial left anterior upper lobe (located in the middle of the left lung, upper lobe, anterior segment) is enlarged to 4 x 6 mm compared to last PET/CT. This is very small, about the size of the diameter of a pencil eraser. None of these nodules are displaying SUV uptake (not metabolically active).

I hope this helps.

Stay the course.

Tom

[LexieCat]

As Tom said, a 3.7 SUV doesn't tell you whether something is or isn't cancerous. I assume you're being followed after your lung surgery. What does your oncologist say about it?