Scar Tissue on PET Scan?

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Hbollinger
Hbollinger Member Posts: 10
edited June 2014 in Stage III Breast Cancer

Hello, I was dx in August and started Chemo in Sept and I am about half way though and now on weekly Taxol  When I had my PET scan my dr. mentioned some light scar tissue on my PET scan in my left lung.   I didn't think much of it,  I have had many check infections over the years. 

In the last couple weeks I have had a pain in my back in weird spot.   Of course my mind runs wild and I think the cancer is spreading.  I read back pain can be a early sign of cancer in the lungs.   So I started doing a little research and most of what I read said scar tissue doesn't show up on a PET scan.  How can that be?  My doctor didn't say this "looks like scar tissue" he was very clear that it was scar tissue.  Now I am freeking out that the cancer had already spread to my lungs and it was over looked.  

I am not sure what I am asking here other than if anyone else has been told they had scar tissue on a PET scan and how was it determined that is in fact what it was. 

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  • encyclias
    encyclias Member Posts: 302
    edited January 2014

    As an example of what a PET scan sees besides cancer, my first PET in Oct, 2012 showed I didn't have any Alzheimer's precursor plaques in my brain, that I had a gallstone which was 'very old' but not causing symptoms (actually, it's about 20+ years old), also that I have diverticulosis -- those intestinal pockets common in old folks like me -- but none of them were inflamed ("don't eat small seeds"), and she showed me my ovaries, 12 years past menopause, were atrophied down to the size of raisins.  Plenty more interesting things, but none lighting up like the cancer in my breast and nodes clearly did.  I am sure that what is scar tissue would be quite clear as just that, but it is something to ask whoever did the evaluation of the scan.  And if it didn't light up as cancer ...

    Went for my follow-up PET last month.  It didn't see any cancer, but the doctor was still laughing over the old gallstone, wanted to know if I was trying to set a record.

    Best of luck, HBollinger.

    Carol

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  • Hbollinger
    Hbollinger Member Posts: 10
    edited January 2014

    Encyclias - thank you for your response.  I never saw my PET report - my doctor just went over the resutls with me.   I am sure I could get it if asked but I guess to your point the doctor wouldn't have told me it wasn't cancer if there was a chance it was I guess.   I have been pretty calm about this because I have had good response to treatement - I can't even feel my tumors anymore but in the last couple weeks I just feel like something isn't right.   Of course I can't just tell my doctor "I feel weird and think my cancer is spreading".   And really seemed like my aches in my back started since I started Taxol. 

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  • encyclias
    encyclias Member Posts: 302
    edited January 2014

    You can ask for a copy of the written report and the computer disk which shows the actual scan.  I never had to ask for either because the private imaging group I use automatically gives both to the patient and sends copies to the doctors involved in the treatment.  If I were in your place, I would ask for it just to have it for the future.  When I was ready to start rads, my RO was delighted I had the disk copy, which he then copied and, based on what he saw, changed some of my proposed treatment.  He could have gotten it from my MO, but that would have taken more time when I was already set to go with treatment.

    Carol

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