diagnostic radiation levels = HULK time

While technicians hide inside lead lined booths, “we the patients” are exposed to radiation. Lesson for the day, the millisievert  (mSv) measures radiation exposure.

So what exactly have I been exposed to over my 16 month lung cancer odyssey.

As always first let me first express my gratitude for still being alive. When I began my odyssey I knew no one who lived this long after a diagnosis of lung cancer.

Over the last 16 months I have had 17 chest x-rays, 5 CT scans, a single Nuclear Stress Test, and 2 PET/CT scans.

RadiologyAssociates of New Jersey claims “Experts say 3 mSv per year is probably OK for most of us; 20 mSv for those who must have medical tests.”

OK drumroll please … over the last 16 months my diagnostic exposure measures 63 mSv.

To liberally paraphrase the radiologist report from this past PET/CT scan,

1)  'Bob’ (see naming of lymp nodes) continues to misbehave larger and brighter than PET/SC of 14 months ago, "consistent with metastatic disease”.

Odyssey notes – ‘Bob’ may as well be a hemorrhoid he is such a total pain in the ass. Gone one CT and back another, radiologists always label him when they find him as consistent with probable metastatic disease. ,,, My current pulmonologists contend there never was a 'Bob" on first PET/SC" ... keep in mind 'Bob' equates to the drain of the lung. Lots of lung jung or pneumonia or bronchitus and 'Bob" gets an attitude. 

2)  “minimal pneumonitis since prior PET scan though increased in size since 3/15/2013 CT”

3)  “misc lung junk too small to accurately characterize and long term follow up recommended”

I was killed last March during an attempted Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS) went flatline. Bob was never biopsied or even seen before procedure was aborted to concentrate on reviving me.

Enough already!!! Next stop Baltimore on April 22.

Patrick Leer

Health Activist:

Caregivingly Yours, MS Caregiver @ http://caregivinglyyours.blogspot.com/

My Lung Cancer Odyssey @ http://lung-cancer-survivor.blogspot.com/

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