Since October, I have been sick, high WBCs, several rounds of antibiotics, Strep Throat, the Crud, chills, weakness, backaches. My WBC count was once in the 19,000's. With antibiotics my WBC's go down, but they seem to slowly creep up afterwards. I have a previous history of cancer in 1993 (Bronichal Carcoind Tumor) which was localized and removed.

I ended up seeing an Oncologist who did a BMB and PET Scan. The BMB came out OK, no leukemia.

Moving on, I also had a PET Scan after the BMB. It showed an increased uptake in one of the nodes on my neck (the submidal I think) the one underneath your jaw. The PET Scan report stated increased uptake inflammation/infection in lymph node (lymphadentitis).

The weird thing is that no doctor, including myself can find this lymph node. Nothing hurts in my neck and nothing is swollen.

After doing reasearch on the net, I found that this could be NHL or HL. I talked to the Oncologist nurse today and filled in on the her results of the PET scan and she told me that the PET is not the most effective in diagnosing cancer. NOW I FEEL SO BAD AGAIN, I thought the cancer scare was over!!!

When the Oncologist gave me the results, I was not smart enough to understand about Lymphadenitis and why the node did not hurt. So I did not ask any questions.

All he did was put my on a very powerful antibiotic (Clyndamiacin) for two weeks. He told me to see him in 3 months to check my White Blood Cell Count.

I am sorry this is so long, but if there is anyone out there that could possibly help, it would be appreciated!!

Thank you so much in advance,
Love and prayers to all of you,
Brenda

A Pet Scan is used along with a CAT SCAN to verify the presence of an abnormality. If the Cat Scan and the Pet Scan both show the same results, the likelihood of something being there is greater but still not 100%. The Cat Scan is good at slicing the area into thinner pictures to look all the way through a node or tumor. The Pet Scan identifies whether or not the tumor or node is actively using energy from the body to grow. The Pet Scan actually detects metabolic process. A non malignant process does not have a metabolic process, a cancer does.
Having said that, a PET Scan by itself only pinpoints areas that take up the chemical, it does not say anything else. IT could be a mosiquito bite or a pimple, without further information. A PET scan is most useful after chemo treatments to show whether or not a cancerous process has been eradicated or has stopped spreading. So, the doctor has given you medication to treat what he/she believes, is an infection. IF the anitbiotic works, it has reversed an infection, or reversed a possible cancerous process. Around the jaw area, people can sometimes have dental infections that are not detectable on Xray and are picked up by Pet Scan when another disease is being looked for. Keep in touch with your doctor and follow instructions or ask your doctor more questions. We can only guess at the possibilities, your doctor can answer your questions better.

Hi Merimac,

Now you have me scared!!

Earlier today, I called the Pet Scan Imaging Center and asked them a bunch of questions. One of the questions was about the lymph node. I asked about the increased uptake and how it was shown to be infection/imflammation in the node. They told me that if the node was cancerous, it would appear BLACK. They told me that the lymph node was a much lighter color, so it was not cancerous.

Actually, I talked to the Oncologist's Nurse about 5 days ago and she told me that she would leave a message for Oncologist to phone me back. He never did. That is why I called the Pet Scan Imaging Center for information.

I already went to the Dentist and he did not find anything abnormal. He referred me to an ENT Specialist.

What would be your next step if it were you.

Hope you see this message.

Thank You,
Brenda

If you have not heard back from your doctor, you can request a copy of the report be sent from the Imaging company once it has been paid for. In the USA, the reports are generally sent to the doctors due to the way the insurance coverage works, but if you are in the US, you have a right to any medical report about yourself, that you have paid for according to the Hippa Laws.

Hi Merimac,

Thanks for replying.

I do have a copy of the report and it says no cancer. Just dental uptake and a bunch of other stuff about gum disease, imflammed tissues in the dental area and in what regions (all in the mouth area), etc. If you would like, I can summarize the report for you online.

A few other things, I found out that this was done with a PET/CT. Also, how do you know so much about Pet Scans? Do you perform them?

I am sorry, I am just trying to sort thru all this confusing ordeal and I am VERY UPSET and AFRAID.

Thanks so much!
Brenda

Hello Futurehope,

I noticed that you stopped the posting back in March, but I have something to tell you. I am a 34 year-old woman, 3 year survivor of Hodgkin's Disease. I got diagnosed at stage 2a due to my persistence and knowing that there was something wrong with me. My advise to you is that until you are satisfied with your body, do not stop finding out why you feel the way you feel. Being sick is not the worst, not doing anything about it is the worst.

I hope your condition is due to an infection, and everything is well with you now, but after reading your postings, I would like to know what happened.

Wishing you the best,

MariaMiami

MariaMiami, how are you? I would like to ask you a question about my son. He is 14 and has an enlarged lymph node on the right side of his neck - midway from jack to shoulder. He has been treated with antibiotics for almost two weeks now and it has not changed size. How did you know something was wrong with you? The only "symptom" my son has is that he is more tired than usual.