PET/CT Results

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  • Post
    • October 16, 2014 at 10:28 am
    penelope10
    Participant

      I am a 36 year old male with a family history of malignant melanoma.  Since I was 17, I have seen a dermatologist and have had five excisional/shave biopsies that have all been benign. Over the last 19 years, I have been active duty in the US Navy and have moved 8 times. Because of this, I have never had continuity of care and seen a plethora of dermatologists. No pictures have ever been taken of my many moles, and it has usually been up to me or my wife to notice any changes. In September,  a CT scan noticed a 1cm non calcified nodule in my left lung and my radiologist ordered a PET/CT which I had yesterday.  Good news was the pulmonary nodule showed no hypermetabolic activity. But the scan noted the following…"There are multiple foci of increased hypermetabolic activity with associated dermal tissue thickening on CT images: right back at the level of T7 with max SUV of 5.6, right back at the level of L1 with max SUV of 2.9, left back at the level of T11 with max SUV of 2.6, bilateral upper flank regions with max SUV of 2.2 on the right and 1.1 on the left, right upper medial thigh with max SUV of 4.6. Recommend clinical correlatiom. Differential include infectious/inflammatory process, however, cannot exclude malignancy." I have normal looking moles at all of these locations. I am not asking your opinion on whether I have melanoma or not. My dermatologist will do that when I see him in two weeks. Until I see him, I was just curious if anyone on the forum has received their initial indication of melanoma via PET/CT which led to unsuspecting moles to be biopsied? Any recommendations for questions to ask my dermatologist with the above test results? Thanks in advance!

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

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        • October 16, 2014 at 3:34 pm
        Janner
        Participant

          Moles themselves are typically too small to show up on PET scans.  PET scans do not routinely show new primaries unless it was an advanced tumor.  PET scans have resolutions of about 5mm+ or so at the minimum.  They show metabolic activity and infection or "inflammatory process" if more likely that multiple new primaries at all these locations. 

          • October 16, 2014 at 3:34 pm
          Janner
          Participant

            Moles themselves are typically too small to show up on PET scans.  PET scans do not routinely show new primaries unless it was an advanced tumor.  PET scans have resolutions of about 5mm+ or so at the minimum.  They show metabolic activity and infection or "inflammatory process" if more likely that multiple new primaries at all these locations. 

            • October 16, 2014 at 3:34 pm
            Janner
            Participant

              Moles themselves are typically too small to show up on PET scans.  PET scans do not routinely show new primaries unless it was an advanced tumor.  PET scans have resolutions of about 5mm+ or so at the minimum.  They show metabolic activity and infection or "inflammatory process" if more likely that multiple new primaries at all these locations. 

                • October 16, 2014 at 9:54 pm
                penelope10
                Participant

                  Thanks for your reply. I am thinking it is inflamation. I have hidradenitis, but the site of my hidradenitis is my armpits and groin. I do have a few moles over 5mm and they correlate to some of the areas.  But the mole on my mid thigh that relates to the area on the PET scan is only 2mm. I will just wait for my dermatologist appointment and stay away from Dr. Google!

                  • October 16, 2014 at 9:54 pm
                  penelope10
                  Participant

                    Thanks for your reply. I am thinking it is inflamation. I have hidradenitis, but the site of my hidradenitis is my armpits and groin. I do have a few moles over 5mm and they correlate to some of the areas.  But the mole on my mid thigh that relates to the area on the PET scan is only 2mm. I will just wait for my dermatologist appointment and stay away from Dr. Google!

                    • October 16, 2014 at 9:54 pm
                    penelope10
                    Participant

                      Thanks for your reply. I am thinking it is inflamation. I have hidradenitis, but the site of my hidradenitis is my armpits and groin. I do have a few moles over 5mm and they correlate to some of the areas.  But the mole on my mid thigh that relates to the area on the PET scan is only 2mm. I will just wait for my dermatologist appointment and stay away from Dr. Google!

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