Xray found a spot on Rib cage, Please advise?!


Question: Xray found a spot on Rib cage, Please advise?
Hi everyone:
My father was diagnosied with prostate cancer and a bone scan was performed to check for any cancer anywhere in the body. The results came back negative and cancer was not spread outside the prostate. He has surgery set for april to remove the cancer from his prostate, doctor performing the surgery suggested some tests to be perfomed before the surgery. My dad got a Xray done and when the results came out they found a spot on rib cage, so to double check doctor got the xray done again and the same spot was found on the ribcage. My question now is if that spot is cancer, shouldnt that be spotted by the bone scan or the bone scan is just limited to prostate area ? If its not cancer , does anyone has any insight what that spot possibaly could be ? I am very stressed because of this situation and would love some knoweladge able insight. Thanks

Answers:

A chest X-ray before surgery is routine for people over the age of 40.

"a bone scan was performed to check for any cancer anywhere in the body. or the bone scan is just limited to prostate area ?" -- No, a bone scan is a whole body scan that can detect certain cancers, like prostate or breast, that can metastasize to bone. What's the time frame between the initial diagnosis, the bone scan and the chest X-ray?? And at what stage is it?

"My question now is if that spot is cancer, shouldnt that be spotted by the bone scan" -- "Hot spots" on the ribs can be picked up by bone scans and some of these "hot spots" can turn out to be benign. And the precise location of the spot is important -- I'm afraid "on the ribcage" isn't precise enough but perhaps at this point, you're not able to be more precise than that. That's okay. I would think that now his oncologist might order a thin-section reformatted helical CT to get a better look at the spot. Sometimes these are old, healed fractures, new and undiagnosed fracture lines, focal sclerosis or a callus formation. Nothing to worry about. (An MRI was mentioned by some one else and these are great for soft tissue but not as effective as a CT for bone visualization)

You didn't happen to mention how closely involved you are in your father's case (planning, decision-making and so forth) but if you are able, follow up on this with his oncologist or ask your dad to do that.

I can't take away all your worry and stress (this IS your dad after all) but if it gives you any comfort, prostate cancer is one of the most treatable forms of cancer especially if caught while still in situ.

I'm a nurse.



Yes, and MRI is much better at finding these 'spots" and dx'ing the cause. Call the doc and set an appointment. My main rule of better health is "when in doubt, place a call to Doc." Check out the web site below for testing & a great symptom checker and chart! Best of luck to ya, AnnaMaria

http://www.medicinenet.com/chest_pain/symptoms.htm




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