PET scans after treatment
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hello all. I had my PET/CT this morning and already have the results. I am all clear! Thank you all
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Great - yet more good news. Congrats.
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G1973 Well done. Bravo. We have had a great week now.. Oh yeah !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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yay!
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I was in the recent study about CTC's showing their prognostic value - but can't access my specific results. My onc says he couldn't act on them even though the numbers are sitting in his hospital... I am going for results of a Petscan today and I feel like I'm facing a firing squad. Who may or may not fire blanks. It's that acute. Believe me regular scans can be by far the worst most acute cause of ongoing cancer anxiety. I used to think I'd want regular monitoring post tx now I’m trying to persuade my onc to stop.
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SSinUK looking through your stats I can see similarities with your diagnosis and treatment. In the past five years I’ve only had an annual ultrasound and a PET was never spoken as an option, apart from the original check for mets on diagnosis. I’m wondering if a PET is that valuable for you considering the drama of false positives and, of course, scanxiety. Really, we can be trained to look out for mets symptoms, and if they are found, we’re in the same Stage 4 situation however mets are diagnosed.
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SSinUK, are regular PET scans required for your participation in the CTC study?
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SSinUK, thinking of you. Can only imagine how nerve-wracking it is. How long are study subjects supposed to be monitored for?
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The scans are not for the study. I just have regular bloods drawn for the study but never know the results. It was rewarding to read the interim reports on the study though and know if helped science a bit! I did try to get my CTC results but no go: The Pet Scans are because 9 months after chemo Mx and rads they found two internal mammary nodes with active cancer during some reconstruction surgery. I was on tamoxifen. So it meant stuff was left behind and no tx had dealt with it. Not chemo rads or hormone therapy. Eeeeek. I’ve been on PET scans ever since for 3.5 years - 3 monthly then 6 monthly. With some terrifying positive findings involving further MRI’S etc which then suggested it was a false alarm. Glad to say - after literally trembling in the waiting room for an hour - my scan results today were all clear - NED (if you ignore some pelvic stuff my onc has decided is probably something else). We had a long conversation about the scanning regime. He wants to keep a v close eye. I want to stop. Be careful what you wish for friends.
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Does anyone have any insight into why two MOs suggested a CT of abdomen, pelvis, chest, etc with a Bone Scan instead of just a Pet Scan? I've read the combo of CT and bone scan are equivalent to a Pet, but wondered how they make this decision when I've seen it go both ways??
edited to add: also, if a CT and Bone scan would be ordered... why would a brain MRI/scan also not be ordered?
too many scans at once? hoping someone can clarify why a combo or scans are decided and others are not ordered
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vmb - A PET/CT looks for 'hot spots' all over the body. That's one reason why you can't eat or drink and must lie totally, absolutely still for 45 minutes while the nuclear contract is going into your veins before the test. It looks for abnormal activity everywhere in the body. A number of docs don't recommend PET/CT because apparently there can be a fair number of false positives.
Regular CT will focus on tissues and organs.
Sorry I don't have any details about specific bone scans other than the standard DEXA we all get every 2 years as we age.
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As you say Minus Two CT is the best way to look at soft tissue and bone scan obviously bones. All different modalities show different things. Eg after positive spots showing on PET scans I’ve had MRI’s to look at those spots a different way. mRIs suggested they were nothing to worry about.
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Hello everybody! Congratulations on the NEDs!
I just had chemo/surgery/rads for bc 2 grade 3 stage with 4 positive nodes, er+ pr+ now on Tam. My MO ordered a bone scan and a CT scan too. My bone scan came back with this: "increased tracer uptake in right coxofemoral joint (degenerative process)" Anyone had something similar? Is this a benign finding? (osteoarthritis or something?) I see my MO in a month. Thank you!
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Eurphorbia try not to worry. I had a bone scan about a year ago and I had increased uptake in my right knee. The doctors report on the scan said it was likely due to my recent holiday where I did lots of running and cycling. He also wrote there was no evidence of metastasis. My MO wasn't worried and she hasn't pushed for more testing unless I present with symptoms. So don't jump to the worst conclusions unnecessarily. Good luck.
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