pet scan | Arthritis Information

 

I am a new member to this board and already find some of the topics very interesting.

I have emphysema with lung nodules and was sent for a PET scan a week or so ago which lite up as cancer. I was all scheduled for a biopsy when the radiologist came in and told me I would not need it. He said the nodules were not growing fast and that my spine has arthritis up and down it.

I am confused about all of this and wondering if anyone else has had a pet scan that showed arthritis? I have known I have arthritis and have been tested for rheumatoid but came back negative. My sed rate wasn't normal. My GP said it was an inflammation somewheres.

Has anyone ever had arthritis nodules close to their lungs? I am so glad I have found this site.

No, I haven't but that is a complication of RA (along with serious cardiovascular complications).

When I started having problems with my sed rate, I had a torn rotater cuff but I also had RA.  My GP was flippant about my pain, telling me that it was OA, after all I was getting old (I was 45).  After surgery (I did have OA in my shoulder besides a torn rotater cuff).  I was still in agony in my feet and hands, knees and wrists.  I work in health care and I demanded more investigation.  I knew I didn't develop OA in 2 weeks in these other areas. 

I hope you keep pushing for an answer. Good luck and you are in my prayers

Mary B
Thank you Mary. Hope you start feeling better. What kind of doctor do you see for your pain? I have been going to a nurse practioner who has sort of swept it under the table. She recently said she was going to give me a shot once the biopsy of the lung had been preformed. Have you heard of any shots and does it give you relief? Good luck with you persuit!

Hi KBean and welcome to the board.  I have a few questions:

*What are the nodules?  How do they know if they don't do a biopsy?

*Have they ruled out Sarcoidosis?

*Do you or don't you have RA or where you diagnosed with OA?

*Have you had blood work done, RAFactor, etc. to check for RA. 

There are several issues to confront.  Have you seen a pulmonologist and a thoracic surgeon re: lung nodules?  The radiologist doesn't determine if you have or don't have surgery.  It's up to your thoracic surgeon and pulmonologist based on the xray readings by the radiologist to determine your need for lung biopsies. 

Have you been seen by a rheumatologist?  If not, you need a referral as soon as possible to a rheumatologist. You can get a referral from your primary care doctor.  It's his/her job to refer you to the proper specialist for diagnosis and treatment. 

I hope that you get a referral in a timely manner.  Keep us posted on the outcome.  And if you haven't been seen by a pulmonologist I'd insist on a referral.  Take care and keep us posted on the outcome.  Lindy

 

Lindy,
To your 1st question they have always told me they were lung nodules with the possibility of cancer. I have very severe emphysema and my pulmonologist didn't want to do a biopsy unless they started growing. When they started to grow he sent me for a pet which came back cancer. Pulmonologist order biopsy and when the radiologist viewed the ct scans they decided not to do biopsy. I am waiting to hear from my pulmonologist why this wasn't done. Radiologist said I had arthritis up and down my spine. The lung nodules were very close the the ribs.

2) No they have never mentioned that before.

3) I did have a blood test for RA and it came back negative. I have always wondered if RA and OA have the same symptoms. I feel like I have the flu with body aches alot of the time. My hands ache like a toothache at the base of my thumbs.

4) I had sed rate that was abnormal. But the RA factor came back negative.

I have never been seen by a rheumatologist. I had a problem with pain medication. I was addicted to it after I had cancer on my mouth and had removed plus plastic surgery. I haven't had any pain medication in three years. When I tell them I am in pain I think they think I am trying to get pain medication which couldn't be further from the truth. I have to admit I am in pain everyday and have a hard time getting up and down. I am 57 years old but look like I am 77 years old. My fingers are all crooked. I have been told that my bone scan numbers were - 3.5. Very bad osteoporosis which runs in my family. Thanks for your help. I appreciate anything I can get on this subject.
Hi Kbean, and welcome to the board.  Glad you have signed up. Oh dear. Firstly, welcome to the board and good luck with these issues.
Many people here can tell you you can have a negative RA factor and still
have RA. The bloodwork is only a general kind of sign post and you really
need to see a rheumatologist in order to get a definative diagnosis. Some
people on this board went undiagnosed for years because of negative RA
factor.. Please insist on a referal to a competent rheumatologist.Do they treat RA differently then they do OA? I have been looking for this arthritis forum for some time now. It wasn't until someone joined the COPD forum and posted something about RA nodules that I stumbled on this. I am so glad I did. You are all so friendly. I find every topic I have read interesting. Glad your here!Yes, treatments are different because RA and OA affect the joint, synovial fluids in a different way.  RA is an autoimmune disease and OA is a disease of the bones.  I may not explained that well but that's about all I can muster right now.  You need a referral to a rheumatologist (RD)  An RD treats both RA and OA and like I said before the treatments are different.  You can have RA and your labs are negative.  Many people on the board have been diagnosed based on symptoms and not labs and have responded to RA medical treatment.  As to pain control that's an issue that you need to talk to the RD about.  Most likely they will have an answer and a med to help you out. LindyKBean,

You might also look into having an ANCA test run. One symptom of Wegener's Granulomatosis (a form of vasculitis, another AI disease) is lung granulomas (nodules). And I agree with a previous post about seronegativity and RA. I myself have seronegative RA and ANCA related vasculitis (although mine only affects my skin).

Heather

Hey! Welcome Kbean! Glad you're here.

I have RA but the blood test for the RA factor is negative as it is with many you'll find here. Definately see an RD before you let anyone rule it out. Would you have nodules if you didn't have it? I don't know; that's a questions.

As far as the back goes; I have RA in my spine. Originally it was thought to be OA and DDD but once I was referred to a orthopedic spine specilaist he confirmed it was actually RA in my spine. Not much fun at all!!

Glad you're here Bean. Hope to see more of you here.

thank you all! You have given several answers to questions I have been looking for. I have an appointment the end of this month. I am going to bring up the things you have all told me and see if there isn't something she can do to get to the bottom of this pain. I have been having trouble lifting my left arm. She said the arthritis is pinch on a nerve. I think it is time I see a rheumatologist. What is one more specialist! Just add him to the list of many. Thanks again.
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