Some advice please - Lung & Respiratory Disorders / COPD Message Board

Lutheran122 · 04-10-2006, 10:28 AM

Hello , im the guy who went to get a 64 slice CT scan of my heart and they found a 5mm nodule on the lower lobe of my right lung. Anyway I went to a pulmonary specialist and she said that she doesn't think its anything to worry about but we need to do another CT scan in 6 months to make sure it doesn't grow. Is 6 months too long? What if it is a fast growing cancer , shouldn't I go in like 3 months or less and not take the chance? She said I have little risk factors since I never smoked nor work around asbestos or other chemicals and she looked at the film and the report and said she isn't worried about it. When the radiologist and doctor at the ct site fills out the report would they have stated it looked suspicious if it in fact was cancer or is it impossible to tell at 5mm? Are there any symptoms I should be aware of in case this is a tumor , would I feel pain there or have a bad cough , blood in saliva , black feces anything like this or something else. Sorry I am nervous about this and not getting any definitve answer kind of made it even worse.

PS

whats really scaring me is i am developing a cough and i normally never have a cough unless I have a cold or something which i dont. Could that nodule be already affecting my lungs and making me cough?

Grand Rapids · 04-10-2006, 06:46 PM

I would not panic with a 5mm nodule, but I wouldn’t wait 6 months either for another CT. Keep in mind that the majority of lung nodules are not malignant, but the statistics don’t mean anything if you’re on the wrong side of the odds. I personally don’t think the cough is necessarily significant, but that in addition to your nodule is enough leverage for you to get the doc to do more and sooner. Ask for a CT in 2 or 3 months or push for a PET Scan if you can get one.

In an earlier posting, I said I had an annual physical and subsequent CAT scan that showed a 1.9 x 2.0 CM nodule in my right lower lung. A much smaller 4 MM spot showed on my upper left lung. My doctor suspected it may be malignant because of my smoking history and sent me to a pulmonologist for a lung capacity test. She elected to do a coccidioidomycosis test based on my travel history to Arizona and the results were Comp Fixation 1:4, IgM Negative, IgG Positive. (Positive for the infection) Coccidioidomycosis is also known as Valley Fever, endemic to the Southwest, particularly, Arizona.

The pulmonologist also ordered a PET scan and I received the results today. There was not any unusual uptake of F 18 FDG in the nodule (or anywhere else) I am celebrating tonight!!! And I am thanking God for hearing the prayers of my friends, my family and myself these past two and a half weeks.

Just further validation that not every lung nodule is malignant. Now that said, the radiologist did caution that “bronchioloaveolar cell carcinoma has a very low metabolic activity, but the lack of radiotracer uptake is somewhat reassuring in that this very well could represent a post infectious granuloma”. (Like VF)

I certainly have more to do to get through this whole thing, but now I can focus on the VF. My symptoms have continued to improve and I am feeling better each day without medication at this point. I will see the Infectious Disease doc next week to see what the next steps are.

Tonight though, I am reflecting on our risen savior and God’s love. He does indeed listen to those who reach out to Him.

Hope you keep us updated.

Happy Easter

(Just a note on the PET Scan – My research shows that the PET can be positive with VF nodules under certain conditions. So please don’t anyone assume that a hot PET automatically means malignancy)

HELLASRULES · 04-11-2006, 03:54 PM

Hi Lutheran122,
I went for a ct scan for a recurring rib problem in late March. Didn't find much wrong with the ribs, but my ct scan also found a 5 mm nodule in my lung. I was scheduled for another ct scan with contrast dye in 3 months. From reading about lung nodules 3 months seems to be the norm for keeping an eye on these things, with more scans at 6 month, 1 year, 2 years, etc. (Sure makes you wonder about all the radiatuin exposure though!)
Of course I freaked out when he told me that, and forgot all about the darn painful ribs. The doctor I saw was a thoracic surgeon, and even asked if I'd lived in the Midwest, as it looked like I'd had some sort of fungal infection decades ago. Of course, being a long time smoker, I figure it's the worse case scenario for me. Just a wait & see kind of game. I have no symtoms and was told by the surgeon that it was too small to biopsy (although GrandRapids had a 4 mm nodule biopsied, so I wonder about that!) and too small to cause symptoms. He also said it could be a lymph node (and I was just getting over a pretty bad cold...that caused the rib problem) so I hope & pray it's just that!
I don't know if I'd wait 6 months to get re-scanned. I can barely wait 3 months, although it's not really something to look forward to, but if it's BAD, I want to deal with it NOW!
Good luck to you and to you also, Grand Rapids!
Hellas

Lutheran122 · 04-11-2006, 05:17 PM

Thanks for your reply , trust me when I tell you that since I started coughing I am tempted to go right now for the damn CT

So trust me , no way am I going to wait 6 months , I will probably go in 10 weeks or so from now which would be 3 months. I am scared to death , I also just found out I have a cyst on my brain ( an arachnoid cyst which I am told by my neurologist that it is nothing to worry about and to leave it alone ) and I also have to get a scope of ( inside my pee pee , ouch ) my private area to see why I am having pain in my privates for the last 2 months..that should be fun , i am terrified of that as well..Im hoping that I don't have some issue in there that has spread to my lung..my mind is running if you know what I mean , i see cancer signs in every muscle twinge now. Ill keep you all updated and please you do the same. And good luck to both of you as well.

Lutheran122 · 04-11-2006, 10:37 PM

Damn my breathing isn't as good these last 2 days since I started coughing. Especially when lying down. It just feels like its harder to breathe for me. I think I'm in big trouble.