"however metastisis cannot be excluded"

lola12 · January 2015

sometimes I wonder if radiologists put that line on reports to cover their ass or if we really have to worry. A few months ago I was trying to push a jammed door open in my basement and felt something in my rib area Pop, the pain made me cry and I was in pain for weeks. Last week I go for my yearly breast MRI and this area lights up. I told my oncologist that I hurt there and she discussed it with radiologist.

Report states that there is t2 focal hyper intensity on my lower later rib on the side I hurt that may be do to fracture, however metastatic disease cannot be excluded.

Now I have a bone scan on Friday, and even though I hurt myself I am consumed with worry. What can the bone scan see that the mri can't?

Please help me understand. Doesn't help that my husband already has me stage iv. I am a wreck.

Beachbum1023 · January 2015

Good morning lola12, I go with it's nothing until its something! I can't wrap my head around cannot be excluded. I have similar issues. They want me to go to chemo again for something that cannot be excluded, but they can't do a biopsy because it is too small. And it usually is mets. But what if it isn't mets?? Not like I want to do chemo again so soon. This sounds a lot like the horrible foot pain I had. I was sent for foot x-rays because they thought I had a stress fracture. Nope, degenerating joints from chemo. The MO is sure the joint pain was from arthritis but the Rheumatologist said no, it's from the chemo as well. So I guess wait and see when I finish rads, that's bad enough! Take care, and try not to fuss too much! I have plenty to worry about, I never look for trouble these days.

LindaE54 · January 2015

Lola12 - Oh the waiting - is it or is it not is not easy. My most recent bone scan showed activity on L1 and report said probable met. So my mind went racing of course... Had xray which showed a lesion but Dr wasn't sure so had a CT scan. It turns out to be arthritis. Suspicious lesions have to be tested with different tools. So try not to worry (easier said than done, I worried for 2 long weeks before I got the results), I know we want straight answers right away but that's not the way it works. There would be cause for worry if they were not investigating. Good luck with your bone scan. Keep us posted.

Linda

vlnrph · January 2015

I am so sorry you are going thru this right now (with a husband who tends to be pessimistic=my usual frame of mind). Perhaps this description of how I think about the process will help a little.

The radioactive injection for the bone scan will show up a few hours later in parts of the skeleton that are busy growing or 'turning over' cells, as a cancer is likely to be doing. The MRI was sensitive enough to pick up the old injury but it is not specific in terms of confirming a diagnosis. A CT will give yet another set of data as Linda describes. Sometimes for that imaging you need to drink contrast and/or it is given IV. I can sometimes reduce my physical anxiety with deep breathing. Try it! If your test is early in the day, ask about getting results before the weekend.

Hopeful82014 · January 2015

"Doesn't help that my husband already has me stage iv. I am a wreck."

That's why I sometimes don't tell my husband about a concern until after I get the results back. There's no point in both of us stressing out over it.

That approach isn't possible for everyone, of course.

Good luck, Lola. Let's hope the radiologist was just covering him/her self and it's just picking up the bone healing from the trauma of the injury. Such things can show up for a surprisingly long time on scans! I'm also hoping you'll get the results before the weekend.

"however metastisis cannot be excluded"

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