The main purpose of this PET scan was to find the best site for doing a surgical biopsy since the bronchoscopy lab results were inconclusive. For the most part, this scan didn’t tell us much more than we already knew—enlarged lymph nodes in the chest, lungs, and groin.
The imaging report did explain some of John’s symptoms. The swollen lymph nodes on his right bronchus is probably contributing to his cough and fatigue. The growths in his right lower lobe are basically collapsing that part of the lung. John’s blood oxygen levels are good; this may be part of what is contributing to his fatigue.
He’s been having a lot of pain under his left arm but nothing in that area lit up on the PET scan.
An enlarged node that hadn’t been imaged before appeared under the left jaw. Also a very small lesion in the spleen, which is not really surprising since it is part of the lymph system.
