Calcification of brain....found with PET scan

[peipaws]

I'm searching for all the information I can at this point.  My husband is 42 and always been healthy.  For the past several months he has been seeing dr's to find the cause to his symptoms.  The main symptoms being nausea, unentintional weight loss of 50lbs and fatigue.  The dr's he has seen believed it to be cancer but could not locate one.  We finally demanded a pet scan which found calcification in his brain.  The dr is in the process of scheduling a mri because of these findings. 

He does have daily headache's but not anything like a migraine.  Takes tylenol for them but can go thru a big bottle every 2 weeks.  He may go to garage to get something and forget what he went there for.  Even have it in his hand and continue to look until he realizes what he's there for.  He is talking in his sleep alot.  Does this sound familar to anyone?  I'm affraid the drs focussed on gastro issues with the weight loss and that if it is something in his brain they wasted alot of time. 

[Sue]

I am so sorry your husband has been having these issues. I know nothing about this, but I hope you and he ask every question imaginable and insist on every test available and find the best doctor you can for a second or third opinion.  It doesn't sound like AN issues, but it certainly sounds like something brain related. Good luck to you and your husband and maybe somebody else on this forum will have more information. 

Sue in Vancouver

[russ]

Hi

  Maybe you could ask Dr about an MRA ( Magnetic Resonance Angiogram ). That would check for any anyeurism or MAV within the brain.
  No Dr Here, however...
  Best wishes always!

  Russ

[peipaws]

Thank you everyone who responded. 

I got the pet scan results and it states basicly that calcification is in the region of the pineal gland.......pineal-based tumor could give this appearance.  He will be having a MRI study of his head with and without IV contrast.

Again, THANK YOU
Vicky

[pattibobatti]

When is the MRI scheduled?

Ibet that will tell you alot.. Sure hope you don't have to wait too long to find out..

Good attitude you have.. Keep searching!!!

Pattibobatti

[Labott]

Here are a few websites worth reading about brain calcification. The last one is quite technical but loaded with information.
   http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/119/6/490
   http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/fahrs/fahrs.htm
   http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/adultbrain/HealthProfessional/page1/print
   http://www.genetests.org/servlet/access?id=8888892&key=IYfl8vhVwBOEx&gry=INSERTGRY&fcn=y&fw=Xni5&filename=/glossary/profiles/bgc/details.html

All indicate that this is not a condition to be ignored and that your husband should persist until a diagnosis and prognosis is given.

I hope that this information helps you get informed about the possibilities and arms you with appropriate questions to ask the physician.

You are both in our prayers.  Good luck and God speed!

-Labott

[peipaws]

He has the MRI tomorrow at 2:15PM.  They scheduled it for when the dr would be there while it was being done.  Not sure if I should be relieved that they wanted the dr present or if it's a very bad sign they wanted him there to read it as it happened.  Everything I have read so far is telling me this isn't good but I'm trying to stay positive. 

Thank you so much for your support.
Vicky

[pattibobatti]

Just checking to hear how things are going! I hope you recieved some fgood news.

Let us know!

Pattibobatti

[peipaws]

No we haven't gotten good news.  This has all been so stressful.  He had his MRI's.  The dr performed a ct scan directly afterwards.  I knew then they found something.  I picked the reports up the next day and it confirmed "a large calcification in the pineal gland is present."  He actually has his first appt tomorrow at 830am with a neurosurgeon at KU hospital's Cancer Center.  His "primary" dr has yet to acknowledge this "calcification" in the middle of his brain so this will be the first time anyone has spoke with us about it.   I will not use the TUM.. word until a dr does.  I emailed all the reports I had over the weekend and this dr called Monday to say have him there Thursday.  I still have a little hope since this type of cancer is less than 1% of brain cancers but it's not looking good.

I do have a question for anyone who knows....the ct report refers to it as "LARGE" and doesnt give measurement.  Why wouldn't it at least give the measurements of it?  What is large?  I'm not a dr but I looked at the ct scan images when I got copies for the dr. I can even see it and it's about the size of a small jelly bean even on the little head images.

I'll let you know what the neurosurgeon tells us tomorrow.

[pattibobatti]

I'm very sorry to hear this.  I just hope and pray you can hold each other up and get some better news. You'll be in my prayers tonight....

Get some rest,

Patti