Throat cancer pet scan
Common Questions and Answers about Throat cancer pet scan
throat
Hi. You are right when you say that a more definite diagnosis can be arrived at by means of a biopsy rather than a PET scan. The PET scan measures the amount of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) taken up by tissues. FDG is a form of radioactive glucose. The assumption is that cancer cells are metabolically more active than normal cells (since they are rapidly dividing), hence they would take up more glucose to fuel their rapid growth.
s basically a sugar laced tracer that gets injected into you. Cancer looooves sugar so the PET scan picks up 'areas of activity' where this sugar tracer is concentrating. So, if you have a tumor for example, it will show up because tumors are h-u-n-g-r-y for sugar. The PETs main goal is identifying areas of activity before they become big tumors (ones that cannot be seen by CT or ultrasound alone).
So a clear PET scan is very good news, but it is one tool out of the toolbox.
It seems to me that I have a metabolic imbalance and a PET scan would be more appropriate that a CT scan to detect active disease. I understand there is scientific data that supports that PET scans are more sensitive than either the CA125 and CT scan and can detect disease before either of the other tests. Therefore, how do I get my health care provider to approve this test for me.
Thanking you in advance for your help my battle.
My father had a pet scan because a spot in his lung became larger than his cat scan in 5/07. The spot "lit up" so according to the pulmonologist that meant an 80% chance of lung cancer.
My father has COPD, Emphysema, chronic bronchitis, he smoked for over 40 years. He quit for 14 years. He is now going to be 75 next month.
The pulmonologist said his options were to do a needle biopsy-but that would not be good because it may produce a false negative.
Hi, I hope I'm not to late. I also had a PET scan and I have had MRIs. The PET is easier. It's not as long and the enclosure is less confining. I think the fear of more cancer is so scary. I hope all goes well.
My husband's doctor told us this morning that the results of his PET scan showed 1- "activity" at a left mass in his upper left lobe (which measures 2.4 x 2.7 cm), 2- "activity" at a lump on the right side of his neck (though his CT scan on this lump showed "unremarkable" with no abnormal soft tissue thcikening or stranding), and 3- "activity" in the adrenal area.
Hi Wilson. I am not an expert in prostate cancer or PET scan imaging. I can tell you that I have seen PET scans be too sensitive and over-read findings. The fact that your father had an MRI scan of the areas that 'lit up' on PET scan makes me suspect that the findings on PET scan were artifactual. I encourage you to discuss your concerns further with your father's doctors. I hope this helps.
I had a 2nd CT more dense scan which showed 14 nodules read as cancer. I had a PET scan with many more nodules and one in my abdomen again read as cancer. I did have a biopsy in which they took chunks out of my lung and down through the throat into the lungs. All were sarcoidosis. Did not have the abdomen biopsied. All my blood worked turned out to have no cancer markers. Did not want to have another surgery. My nodules range in all different sizes.
An MRI or Cat scan just covers a certain part of your body. A Pet scan covers your whole body and I think the cancer shows up better due to the contrast they use. If there is cancer anywhere in your body it will light up. It gives me more peace of mind. There are other things that can cause your ca 125 to go up and you are still in the normal range. I hope you get good news with whichever scan you choose.
I went to the doctor with a cough and coughing up blood. A pet scan was done showing two small spots on one lung. Six months later a cat scan showed these spots had gotten smaller. I was told nothing to worry about. Has anyone heard of a type of cancer that shows up this way then going away to only show up later?
does everyone who has breast cancer have a pet/cat scan as a fallow up ? i have 2 doctor opinions, one say no need fo the test if mamo is fine and no symtoms. the other one wont see me again until i have one and cancelled my appointment .i had, untiol i do . should i go for a third opinion. had a lumpdectomy and radiation. all blood test are alsofine been 1 yr now. need an opinion.
But what you need to do is get your neck and throat checked out by a medical professional, get a CT scan and a PET scan and simply as an addition get an endoscopic test.... I bet you are fine... But somehow it seems that you have convinced yourself to have this dreaded disease... You maybe suffering through hypochondriasis, maybe...
But still get an appointment fixed with an oncologist, ENT , otolaryngologist asap...
My pet scan reported that there is mild to moderate activity noted involving the right perihilar region. This is the most prominet at the posterior aspect of the right hilum. On the CT images there is patchy parenchymal density in this area. Maxium SUV is 2.8 without focal intense activity. This activity is nonspecific but likely an inflammatory basis and my be related to radiation therapy. Follow up is helpful in this reguard. My oncolagist said that this was good.
I'm scheduled for surgery in 1 month with an on-gyn in Toronto (Princess Margaret Hospital) for a large ovarian cyst (13cm). A friend mentioned checking into a PET scan (he's from the states), but they're not routinely done in Toronto or even Ontario and am assuming they're quite expensive and I have no health coverage, but I'm sure I could manage.
Finally, we met with her oncologist to begin chemo now that she is almost all healed. She ordered a PET scan to be thorough. I am so scared I am totally wiped out about what they may find. I pray this had not spread somewhere else....so my question is does anyone know or feel this may not have spread to bone or anywhere else considering all 10 nodes were negative (with exception of sentinel node). Oncologist says the clock is reset after the last surgery in July 22.
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