PET scan concerns

Cajun, interpreter at the ready. . .

You may already know this, but for those who don't, what a PET scan does is that they inject radioactive sugar [FDG don't ask me to spell it out] into your bloodstream and wait for it to circulate. Cells that are dividing quickly take up that sugar and show as bright spots on the scan. Cancer cells divide uncontrollably.

(1) " Expected physiologic FDG uptake is noted within the GI and GU systems" Your gastrointestinal and urinary tract contain some of the most naturally quickly dividing cells (as does hair which is why it falls out with chemo). So they are saying that they see brightness in the expected places.

(2) Your chest: there's been a lot of trauma. Therefore the cells in your chest are dividing quickly trying to repair themselves. That's also perfectly normal. Mine always says "mild FDG stranding in the gluteal area" because every month they shoot up my rear end with Faslodex and castor oil and it hates it.

(3) " No definitive FDG PET evidence of malignancy from the skull base through the mid-thighs" This means no cancer. It's radiology speak for "if there's cancer there we don't see it". Think of it as CYA. The phraseology bugs me too. The reason they use it is that sometimes there are subclinical lesions, more maybe cancer that for some reason didn't take up the sugar. That would be VERY unusual.

I read this as "free and clear".

I had a PET last December and no one even called to follow up with me. I was left to my own interpretation, as well, and that is so frustrating! I'm glad that you found someone on here that could explain it to you and put your mind at ease!

when I had my PET scan, I had several small areas under my arm and a 2 cm lymph node in my neck (on the opposite side from my bc) that lit up. The one in my neck had much higher uptake than the ones under my arm. My surgeon was sure it was cancer and did a biopsy to see if it was bc or something else. The biopsy showed the spot in my neck was a benign tumor. The MO had also told me that reactive lymph nodes often show as "positive" on a pet scan. So there are other reasons things can light up. Good luck to you.

CajunQueen, I've had the same question recently. Did you get an first answer on the meaning?

In my case, the first lesion stated "No Definitive Evidence of Malignancy found" and the second stated "No Evidence of Malignancy found". Considering they were on the same report, it seems like two different meanings, but am just not sure. I am having a wide excisional biopsy in a week on both as recommended.

I wanted them out due to my family history, but it is a different feeling when 'they say' recommend removal. I have to remind myself often that it is in Gods hand and at this point, there is not a lot I can do about it.