finding bone mets

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pammiegr
pammiegr Member Posts: 3
edited October 2017 in Australians and New Zealanders Affected by Breast Cancer

Hi,

I have just had a bone scan which didn't show any mets. I am wondering if I should push for an MRI. Is there anyone out there who has mets which didn't show up in a bone scan but did in MRI or other scan. I'm five years on from a grade three triple negative, which was a second cancer in the same breast. I have lower back pain which could be from the gym or could be from sudden loss of estrogen from ovaries removal or could be just a bad back. thanks in advance for any replies.


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  • Sandseasun
    Sandseasun Member Posts: 30
    edited October 2017

    Hi Pammiegr

    My bone mets were very clear on my bone scan. I take it that you had a tracer injected when you had your scan....? I understand your concern given the stories we read of undiagnosed mets.

    Interestingly, when I had an MRI a few months after my bone mets dx (for other mets), the clarity of the bone mets was very similar to those identified in the tracer bone scan.

    Reassurance and elimination of all possibilities is extremely important when one has endured any form of cancer. One can never be too 'careful'. I am fortunate to have an excellent GP who was and is super cautious and continues to test for everything. I hope you have diligent health carers.

    My best wishes

    Jane

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  • Leapfrog
    Leapfrog Member Posts: 464
    edited October 2017

    Hi Pammiegr my bone mets showed up loud and clear on the two bone scans I've had. Have you discussed this with your oncologist?

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  • Falconer
    Falconer Member Posts: 1,192
    edited October 2017
    I'm in the US, but I'm jumping on this thread to say thanks to Leapfrog and Jane for your replies. I had a bone scan last month for neck pain and a possible hemangioma (which is a benign tumor). The scan confirmed the hemangioma and plenty of arthritis. Like Pammie, I too find myself questioning the results. So thank you for clarifying. Much appreciated!
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  • kiwi322
    kiwi322 Member Posts: 3
    edited October 2017

    Thanks and sorry to hear you have mets Leapfrog. I'm just going to wait for three months and see if the pain gets worse. NZ does have a problem with late diagnosis of cancer and Australia seems to be a lot better so I was probably thinking too much about scans. A friend was diagnosed with secondaries in his bones from stomach cancer only when he became nearly paralysed and had been turned away from the hospital in Wellington several times without getting useful scans. He's written a book about it and is doing well despite the late diagnosis.

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  • kiwi322
    kiwi322 Member Posts: 3
    edited October 2017

    Thanks. This is pammiegr but the replies might be turning up as kiwi33. Not sure. Reassuring to know. Sorry to hear about the people who have mets. I had the tracer thing and theat seemed to spot that one of my shoulders is stuffed but no mets. I might have done that by going to the gym like a crazy person to try to stave off more breast cancer and to try to reduce my weight because the plastic surgeons won't do anything for me in the public system because of my BMI. The bone scan obviously shows things. Interestingly when I was in the private health system in Wellington I was sent straight off for a CT/PET scan at the time of my second diagnosis and never had a bone scan. It was quite expensive because my insurance only covered half the cost and they are a $2000 plus scan. I have since been told in public hospitals in Wellington they only order about five CT/PET scans for women with breast cancer a year. I've also been told PET scans are not that useful for most breast cancers. So I couldn't work out if the doctors in private were essentially upselling to the more expensive scan or not or of public are under-doing it by only offering bone scans.

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