Had blood work and then CAT scan yesterday at TGMC. Got results today.
FINDINGS OF CAT SCAN OF HEAD AND NECK - 1-19-2023
1. Atrophic submandibular glands and stable 5 mm stone within the right submandibular (salivary) duct.
- Stress can result in salivary gland hypo-function, which will reduce salivary flow.
- Salivary stones and tumors can be smaller than a marble or larger. Most aren't cancerous, but if left untreated can develop into cancer.
2. Degenerative changes in the cervical spine, especially C6-7, where there is moderate to severe spinal stenosis.
- If left untreated, spinal stenosis can result in permanent damage to the spinal cord. This could cause bowel and bladder incontinence as well as paralysis.
- When the spinal cord gets injured at C6-C7, pain, weakness, or paralysis may occur in one or more parts of the body below the injured level. Reduction of bowel, bladder, and/or breathing functions may occur in some cases. Typically, nonsurgical treatments are tried first to control the symptoms of C6-C7 injuries.
3. 1 cm nodule right lobe of the thyroid, decreased in size. Remainder of the thyroid somewhat atrophic.
- Thyroid atrophy is the end result of either severe thyroid damage or total loss of pituitary stimulation. The possible causes are: (1) irradiation (2) atrophic auto-immune thyroiditis.
So I was wrong about this lump being a cancer recurrence. However, there are some things to be concerned about in these results. Notice how the words "stress" and "radiation" keep popping up as causes.
I am relieved that the cancer has not returned.
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