AboutNeha Dahiya MD Expertise I can help patients understand their lab report results, help them with queries regarding what pretest preparation is required. How often a follow up test needs to be done. What does a particular tissue biopsy report mean in everyday English. I can explain the biopsy or cytology procedure. I can deal with Histopathology / cytology / clinical pathology and clinical chemistry queries. Helping in this manner will be my contribution to the community.
Experience I am a pathologist and director of clinical laboratory services. I have been a practicing pathologist for last 9 years in a 350 bed multi specialty hospital laboratory.
Organizations Indian association of pathologists and microbiologists.
MIAC - Member International Academy of Cytology
International association of Pathologists - indian division
Indian association of Cytology
Question After several visits to the ENT, I insisted on a biopsy for a lump on my neck. ENT insisted it was a lymph node and not to worry. ENT ordered a CT of head and neck, then another of the chest. Then a biopsy of the lump was performed and immediately afterwards, a PET. The PET showed a fist size hot spot under the sternum. At the same time, the ENT reported the biopsy revealing non malignant but showed indications of sarcoidosis. The oncologist wants to do a bone marrow and admitted only a 30% chance of pinpointing what I have. Apparently, the location of the hot spot is not conducive to a biopsy w/o opening the chest. I feel there has to be a better alternative than bob marrow and opening the chest. Any suggestions?
Answer Hello Paul:
Sarcoidosis is a diagnosis arrived at by exclusion. When all other diagnosis are ruled out one may conclude that this is sarcoidosis.
It is possible that the lump biopsied is sarcoidosis and the one behind the sternum may or may not be same.
A blood test where a panel of markers for different cancers is run can help. But again it is non specific and will not give a definite diagnosis. Also to decide on the panel there should be some suspicion of a type of malignancy and a related panel is tested.
A biopsy / imaging results / blood tests and physical exam / signs and symptoms all should be taken into consideration to arrive at a conclusion
