Bone island and other stuff

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awnie1301
awnie1301 Member Posts: 59
edited August 2016 in Stage III Breast Cancer

Hi stage 3 ladies. I have recently had a bone scan as I have ongoing back pain issues. I was out dancing last week and really set things off. Previous PET, CT and bone scans have diagnosed bad arthritis at my right SI joint.

My Onc ordered another bone scan with the increased pain. The SI joint is unchanged but now the radiologists are reporting something that looks like a bone island on my sternum or thereabouts and another spot they think looks like an old fracture on a rib.My Onc is being cautious and has ordered a PET.

Of course I am having my own little freak out session here. Would love some positive vibes, prayers and any thoughts you could share.

Thank you

Andrea

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  • mary625
    mary625 Member Posts: 1,056
    edited June 2016

    Positive thoughts coming your way. I don't know what a bone island is, but I'm praying you don't have one

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  • amanda6
    amanda6 Member Posts: 121
    edited July 2016

    I've never heard of a bone island before, Andrea, so looked it up! Sounds like a wise choice for your oncologist to have it checked out. Sorry I can't offer more, but I'm sending prayers & positive vibes your way...keep us posted!

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  • TectonicShift
    TectonicShift Member Posts: 752
    edited July 2020

    .

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  • ann_asazi
    ann_asazi Member Posts: 8
    edited August 2016

    I was recently told by my MO'S office that my CT scan revealed "small, scattered sclerotic foci of hypodensity, likely bone islands." I Googled bone island and enostosis, which I found is the official term for bone islands. Found out basic info, but I am more concerned about any association between CANCER and bone islands, so I searched these forums (using just the word "island", to avoid getting every post that mentions "bone"). There were a few posts that were not about the tropics, etc--a few people on here have been diagnosed with bone islands, but I am still not sure what to think regarding follow-up. My MO wasn't concerned. I, of course, am paranoid that these may be mets.

    Hope you get the reassurance you need, and my prayers will be with you.


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  • awnie1301
    awnie1301 Member Posts: 59
    edited August 2016

    Hi Ann,

    My reassurance (if you can call it that) was an expensive and lengthy process. I am in Canada so my wait for a PET was going to be several months...I couldn't do it. I paid to have a private PET done several weeks ago.

    When I actually looked at the bone scan results I was shocked. It said that I had multiple "sclerotic lesions" that were "suspicious of malignancy". It looks like I have about 3 lesions on the ribs and one or 2 lesions at the chostocondrial junction (where the ribs meet the sternum). I was freaking out. I had a bone scan last August that was normal (nothing on the ribs). The only thing that could possibly explain these spots would be cancer or trauma.

    In Sep (after my Aug bone scan) I developed a terrible case of bronchitis. I coughed myself silly and ended up in hospital with what I thought was broken ribs. I could barely move with the pain. The chest X-Ray was negative at the time. I did recover and have had no further discomfort.

    I went for the PET and it showed no uptake anywhere! The radiologist said he saw the spots on my ribs but believes they are healing fractures. My oncologist is going to do another PET in the fall....this one I won't have to pay for.

    Sorry that was a long winded explanation but for now I feel somewhat reassured. I had read that bone islands are quite distinctive and easily recognized on X-ray or bone scan. Was this your first CT? Often bone islands are there from birth (like a birthmark). Just like people have differences on the outside (moles, marks) we can all have diffences on the inside. Hopefully they will just watch for now.

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  • Mzmerz
    Mzmerz Member Posts: 1,054
    edited August 2016

    I have a bone island on my left side butt area. It feels like I am sitting on a golf ball sometimes. When I was first told about the cancer being in my pelvis area, I thought for sure it was in that spot, but nope. Just one of those things that are annoying and not cancer related.

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  • ann_asazi
    ann_asazi Member Posts: 8
    edited August 2016

    Andrea--

    thanks for the information re: your experience. it sounds as though you're in the clear for now--i hope it stays that way!

    i've had 6 ct scans in the past 5 years, and the previous 5 scan results didn't mention the bone islands.

    reading on pubmed about bone islands, i got the impression that, although they do have distinctive characteristics, a lot of effort is expended educating radiologists to differentiate them from mets. ?

    Glad you have been somewhat reassured.

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