Hot spot on bone scan

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Hi Everyone,

I had a bone scan recently as I'd been having some lower back pain, the scan didn't show anything on my back but 2 hot spots on my ribs and 1 on my shoulder. I'm having a CT scan tomorrow to see what's going on but I'm terrified it's bone mets. I'm struggling to eat or sleep due to stress. Has anyone else had this, what did it turn out to be?

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited October 2018

    Hello, Scottishquin, and welcome to Breastcancer.org! We are sorry you have to be here, but we're sure you'll find this a helpful place!

    We know how hard this could be, so we would recommend you to keep busy the next few days, to keep your mind off the waiting. And hope you get responses and support from other Community members here soon too to help you along the way!

    Good luck, and let us know how you're doing!

    The Mods

  • meg8000
    meg8000 Member Posts: 108
    edited October 2018

    Hi Scottishquin - I can't offer any sage advice since I'm pretty much in the same position, but we can keep each other company while waiting. CT scan should give you further information and you can go from there. Nothing can ease the waiting except for conscious decision on your part to wait until you know what you are dealing with. Somehow I found things to keep me busy and occupy my mind. Hope you can too. Good luck!!


  • Scottishquine
    Scottishquine Member Posts: 4
    edited October 2018

    Thanks meg8000. How are you holding up? I go between being quite philosophical about it all and then just total panic. Have you had your CT scan yet or are you waiting? Mine is tomorrow but then it's a 7 day wait for the results so it'll be next week or the week after before I find out. Good luck with your scan too, hope everything is ok.

  • pajim
    pajim Member Posts: 2,785
    edited October 2018

    I'm sorry you guys are having to wait for answers. I have to say that a 7 day wait for CT scan results is cruel and unusual (heavy on the unusual0 punishment.

    Hoping it's something else!

  • meg8000
    meg8000 Member Posts: 108
    edited October 2018

    Hi Scottishquin - Yes, I first had MRI on 10/5, which showed abnormal bone marrow & 6 cm! lesion on humerus, and 4 mm lesion in glenoid space. It was a total surprise to me as I was sure my arm pain was due to an injury I sustained the night my husband died 3 months ago. I was sure they were mistaken. Followed up with CT scan on 10/19, and I'm afraid it supported the original MRI, confirming the 'infiltrative process' in the humerus, confirming the additional 4 mm lesion, and showing an additional lesion on the rib, as well as a pathologic fracture - which means it was caused by weakness/disease in the bone and not by external trauma. I am waiting to schedule a PET scan to see if there are issues elsewhere in the body, and imagine that will be followed by a biopsy of the humerus lesion to confirm. I must admit, I don't hold out much hope that it could be anything else, but won't say never until it is known.

    I am pretty depressed tonight. Like I said, my husband passed away 3 months ago, and I am alone at home without my partner and best friend. I haven't learned to recover from his death yet and now this. It is rough. I have a 30 year old son, who is pursuing his doctorate. I try not to put too much of a burden on his shoulders so he can concentrate on his studies, but I did break down and finally tell him superficially what was going on.

    How are you doing?

  • KBeee
    KBeee Member Posts: 5,109
    edited October 2018

    I have not dealt with this, but my friend had a hot spot on her back which they were fairly certain after additional imaging was not mets. They thought it was an atypical arthritis, though they are following it, but have not done a biopsy. Keep us posted. Praying for benign results for all of you dealing with this.

  • Scottishquine
    Scottishquine Member Posts: 4
    edited October 2018

    Hey meg8000 I'm sorry to hear that your husband has recently passed, it must make all this waiting a lot harder to deal with. Do you have a friend that could come over and keep you company? I hate the thought of you going through this by yourself. I've had my CT scan today and I see my oncologist on the 15th Nov for results so I'm going to try and put it out of my mind until then, spend some nice time with my little girl. I've been so tense and upset this week that my whole body is aching and I'm slowly driving myself insane! I don't know why but I feel calmer after the scan today, I think now I'm going to see if I feel anything in the areas where the spots are.

    pajim it feels like torture but I'm in Scotland so it's the good old NHS for me!!

    Thanks KBee it's good to hear that it might not be anything sinister although I'm preparing myself for the worst but praying for a positive outcome.

    Hugs to all you lovely ladies

    Karen x

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