CT Chest Abdomen Pelvis w/ Contrast November 2023 – The short version

Exciting news! Got my results and I am happy with them. Had a verbal rundown on Monday, but you know how doctors explain things – not always in a way that suits me. I prefer straightforwardness over sugar-coating or unnecessary drama. Emotions? I’ve got them under control. Sure, I get sad about the situation, but I don’t want my results skewed by someone’s choice of words. So because I knew I had not been given all the information, I waited until I had the hardcopy before I posted them.

Let me share a little story. When I got my initial diagnosis, I was told, “Your breast cancer is the most common form, highly treatable, 75% of women have this type. You are very lucky!” Cue immediate tears of relief – I wasn’t going to die!

Fast forward less than 24 hours, and my oncologist clarified that the treatments weren’t “curative”, they were “palliative”. Talk about a 180.

Now, my CT shows improvement in known areas of concern, except for a new spot in my liver, which needs further investigation with an ultrasound.

Here’s a breakdown of the report and my analysis:

Chest:

– Lungs/Central Airways: Normal

– Pleural Spaces: Normal

– Heart/Great Vessels: Normal

– Hila/Mediastinum: Normal

– Axillae/Lower Neck/Chest Wall: Big lymph node from the last CT is now 65% smaller. Fantastic news!

Abdomen and Pelvis:

– Hepatobiliary: Something along the falciform ligament measuring 1.9cm. Likely just hitting fat, but they recommend an ultrasound to rule out a lesion.

-Pancreas/Spleen: Normal

-Kidneys/Adrenals/Genitourinary Tract: Normal

-Gastro Tract:  Normal

-Vascular Structure: Normal

-Mesentery/Retroperitoneum/Peritoneal Space: Normal

-Abdominal Wall: My old friend Herni, he has been causing pain next to my belly button for decades.

-Osseous/Spinal: Yup, bad bones, stable from CT perspective, but if you check the Bone scan, it’s improved.

Impression (Radiologist’s Professional Opinions):

1. The lymph node is smaller. (Agreed!)

2. Oblong low-attenuation may be fat, but due to cancer, they recommend an ultrasound. (So, ultrasound it is.)

3. Diseased bones don’t look worse. (Bones are never going to win any awards, even if cancer-free, the damager is irreversible.)

So, there you have it! Onward and upward. And if you want my thoughts and rants you can read the Long Version that I will post later in the next couple of days.