Pet Scan

Hendrix
Hendrix Member Posts: 324 ✭
edited October 2020 in General discussion
I was just reading in another group and didn’t want to high jack her post by asking this question...cat scan and bone scan was clear but pet scan picked up cancer tumour on ribs and neck...why didn’t the other scans pick it up and what is the difference? thank you xx
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  • arpie
    arpie Member Posts: 8,198 ✭
    That's a bugger @Hendrix - but it is good that they HAVE been picked up & can be treated accordingly.  

    I am not good on 'technical stuff' - so will be interested to read any comments.

    Take care, all the best xx

  • Afraser
    Afraser Member Posts: 4,450 ✭
    A CT scan shows detailed pictures of the organs and tissues inside your body. A PET scan can find abnormal activity and it can be more sensitive than other imaging tests. It may also show changes to your body sooner. Doctors use PET-CT scans to provide more information about the cancer.

    A BONE SCAN is a nuclear imaging test that helps diagnose and track several types of bone disease. Your doctor may order a bone scan if you have unexplained skeletal pain, a bone infection or a bone injury that can't be seen on a standard X-ray.
  • Hendrix
    Hendrix Member Posts: 324 ✭
    Thank you again @Afraser 😊😘
  • Nadi
    Nadi Member Posts: 619 ✭
    Hi @Afraser I had a PET scan in July for another medical condition that showed ground glass opacity changes in my lungs which they are just going to watch for now because it could be something as simple as inflammation. No cancer was detected on the PET scan. I usually have a mammogram and ultrasound in October each year. Now I don't think I'll bother as the PET scan was clear of BC and it's just another test that cost money. Would you do the same? It'll be 5 years this October since diagnosis.
  • Afraser
    Afraser Member Posts: 4,450 ✭
    Hi @Nadi
    I am no expert on scans, simply trying to provide some some basic information on the terminology! Well done 👍 on 5 years. 
    But I’ll hit eight years at the end of this month and I am having my 3D mammogram on Friday. I’d have it irrespective - and the only reason I don’t have ultrasound too is that my breast surgeon is absolutely confident that’s unnecessary - breasts get less dense as you age and mine is apparently practically translucent!  I want someone looking for something in particular. Just in case. It’s a personal choice of course. For me the cost is money well spent. Best wishes. 
  • ddon
    ddon Member Posts: 349 ✭
    @Nadi PET scans are good but they don’t always pick up lesions that are less than 1 cm in size. For me,I would still have the recommended scans because of that. @Hendrix, I don’t understand either why a CT and bone scan would miss something that a PET picked up. Usually the PET is done because the CT/ bone scan has shown a lesion and the PET is done to see if it’s cancer or benign.  In my experience a CT picks up things much smaller then the PET can.  Best wishes and you are in my thoughts XX 

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