Standardized uptake value (SUV) 5.4 and 4.8 mean nodules cancerous?

Hi. Just checking in to see what the biopsy revealed and if you are both doing ok.

I just had a 6.4 FDG, 3 months earlier it was 4.4. The radiologist read it as possibly physiological, correlate with exam/symptoms (or something like that). I asked my oncologist at what point is the FDG uptake concerning. He said anything over 5 we check into, but the low numbers aren’t super concerning, if it’s 15-20, there’s definitely a problem. I’m waiting on biopsy results.

Hi Lisa,

I met with my doctor today on my bronchology(sp) results. They biopsied 4 lymph nodes and a "wash " of the lung. They found no malignancy result BUT they say something made the lymph nodes and nodule (12mm) light up. They implied that the biopsy was very small and the nodule's perimeter is jagged. The tests for other reasons for it to light up, like fungus, etc were negative. Because there are no answers I am back to not knowing anything. I was given 3 choices:

1) do nothing
2) have a biopsy from the chest. The needle would be larger and they would biopsy the nodule
3) remove a wedge of the lung containing the nodule. He said this is not a small surgery and much recovery time.

He said doing a nodule biopsy could leave us still not knowing but the big surgery would give us a definitive answer.

Has anyone gone through this that you know of? Lisa or anyone?

Although I was not pressured I am meeting with a surgeon when his/her office calls me to set an appointment, and then set up a surgery date.

Do you have any thoughts on this?

My reports on the branch biopsies said no malignancies found. I was blind sided today, I never thought they would say that the biopsies were inconclusive. I understand that they are wanting me to proceed because the answer on why my PET scan lit up and they don't want to miss something but heavens I can't take much more. I have had back surgery in Oct, Rotator cuff surgery in early Feb, my Ex who left me after 26 years is still taking me back to court and I have a 96 yr old blind father who tries but has never been in my court the way I have seen other fathers.

Sorry TMI but it is where I am at.

Thank you for sharing.

psychological??? how is that possible?

I can understand your surprise, @skm101. But the term used by the radiologist was "physiological" (meaning related to the body and its function) not "psychological" (related to the mental or emotional state).

@amyb5, did your radiologist or oncologist explain what was meant by "as possibly physiological, correlate with exam/symptoms"?

I apologize, I was responding to another's post. I need to be careful in the future. Thank you for specifying the word definitions. Makes lots of sense now.

🙂

How frustrating! Where is your nodule? By that I mean is it near the outside of your lower lobe or toward the middle of the upper lobe etc. There are some places where a wedge containing the nodule will be easier to access than others.
I just went through that 10 mos ago. The surgeon agreed to do a wedge section, and leave me under anesthesia while the pathologist typed and staged it. If it had been benign the surgeon would have closed me up. But since it was not he took the lobe it was in. A much bigger surgery but it’s the “gold standard”.

It is 12 mm in the right upper posterior. I read that's a typical cancer place.