Chest Follow-up and PET Scan

I followed up with my doctor regarding my chest “ache” and updated him on my current symptoms. His opinion at the time was that it could be a neuritis issue, aka nerve damage. The source of the nerve damage could be many but his best diagnosis is that nerves in the spine at the T5/T6 level are being impinged upon by something, like a herniated disk. An Xray would be able to determine if a disc is compressed, a CT scan would be required for a more detailed analysis to determine if there is spinal nerve damage. At this point ( Jan 4th) my doctor doesn’t have access to the Dec. 24th CT report.

PET Scanner at HSC

The PET scan today proceeded quite normally with no issues. The PET scan equipment is over 10 years old and has exceeded it’s life expectancy and is being replaced. The new unit is supposed to be up and running in the next 1-2 weeks. I hope I never see it. On the way out I snapped a photo of the unit I’ve been in a few times.

Later in the day I get a call back from my doctor. He has now reviewed the CT scan report and noted that they detected some damage “within the medial aspect of the right upper lobe”, aka a part of my lung and to a lesser extent similar damage to the left lobe that has been caused by the radiation treatments. This would seem to explain the chest “ache” on the right and left side. There is a possibility that it will heal further, which it will. I’m surprised that this issue has surfaced 90 days post-radiation but I’m told it can happen that way.

The CT report also indicated that the tumour as shrunk by approximately 50% from the May 6, 2020 CT scan, a very good thing.

Next stop is January 11th for the results of the PET scan.

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