23rd - Abnormal soft tissue

Dr. Kersten called me around lunchtime to tell me that I needed to come back in as soon as possible to see him and have a CT scan of my chest done.  The radiologist that read my X-ray after Dr. Kersten noted some abnormal soft tissue in my right paratracheal region. 

The CT scan took about 30 minutes and the results were ready right away.  The CT scan showed significant lymphadenopathy (a.k.d. disease of the lymph nodes) in the right paratracheal space and the right anterior prevascular space.  There were also mildly enlarged low right cervical/supraclavicular lymph nodes present and mild precarinal lymphadenopathy.  For those medically inclined, I have included a couple lymph node maps below (these are not images of me!!!).  For those not so inclined, suffice it to say a had a lot of enlarged lymph nodes on the right side of my lower neck and center of my chest...with the largest two the size of a golf ball (which is at least 1.680 inches or 42.67 millimeters in diameter for you trivia nuts).  These results were suggestive of lymphoma, but again, I was in denial.

Frontal view of Figure-D shows right paratracheal (2R and 4R) and low right cervical/supraclavicular (1) lypmh node spaces.  Diagram by Annie Frazier, MD.

Sagittal view of Figure-F shows right prevascular (3a) and precarinal lymph node spaces.  Diagram by Annie Frazier, MD.