pet shows decreased bone marrow activity and trace of pleural effusion…HELP!

Can you share more about your current diagnosis, status, and stage?  Do you have existing bone metastases?  Other metastases?

Can you share more about your current diagnosis, status, and stage?  Do you have existing bone metastases?  Other metastases?

Can you share more about your current diagnosis, status, and stage?  Do you have existing bone metastases?  Other metastases?

Dear Anon,

Everybody normally produces a small amount of fluid between the lungs and the chest wall to make it easy for our lungs to slip up and down as we breathe.  When more fluid collects there than is normal, it is called a pleural effusion.  There can be many reasons for this.  You don't mention whether or not you have lung mets, but such a circumstance could contribute to this development.  Bones do not tend to light up much in a PET scan.  A malignancy would actually increase bone marrow activity.  A question to ask would be whether this reference in your report is in comparison to a previous scan, or is it just a background note.  For both of these issues a PET scan alone is not particularly definitive.  The meaning of these findings would be determined by where your tumors are located, possibly your age and other medical history, and/or require other studies like a specific CT or MRI of the area in question.  Bottom line:  Talk to your doctor.  They know you and your history and can and SHOULD give you an explanation of what they think might be going on.

I wish you my best.  Celeste

Dear Anon,

Everybody normally produces a small amount of fluid between the lungs and the chest wall to make it easy for our lungs to slip up and down as we breathe.  When more fluid collects there than is normal, it is called a pleural effusion.  There can be many reasons for this.  You don't mention whether or not you have lung mets, but such a circumstance could contribute to this development.  Bones do not tend to light up much in a PET scan.  A malignancy would actually increase bone marrow activity.  A question to ask would be whether this reference in your report is in comparison to a previous scan, or is it just a background note.  For both of these issues a PET scan alone is not particularly definitive.  The meaning of these findings would be determined by where your tumors are located, possibly your age and other medical history, and/or require other studies like a specific CT or MRI of the area in question.  Bottom line:  Talk to your doctor.  They know you and your history and can and SHOULD give you an explanation of what they think might be going on.

I wish you my best.  Celeste

Dear Anon,

Everybody normally produces a small amount of fluid between the lungs and the chest wall to make it easy for our lungs to slip up and down as we breathe.  When more fluid collects there than is normal, it is called a pleural effusion.  There can be many reasons for this.  You don't mention whether or not you have lung mets, but such a circumstance could contribute to this development.  Bones do not tend to light up much in a PET scan.  A malignancy would actually increase bone marrow activity.  A question to ask would be whether this reference in your report is in comparison to a previous scan, or is it just a background note.  For both of these issues a PET scan alone is not particularly definitive.  The meaning of these findings would be determined by where your tumors are located, possibly your age and other medical history, and/or require other studies like a specific CT or MRI of the area in question.  Bottom line:  Talk to your doctor.  They know you and your history and can and SHOULD give you an explanation of what they think might be going on.

I wish you my best.  Celeste