Talk Cancer

Question:

Is there information available (for the non-doctor) regarding PET scans and the reliability of the results.  Several people we’ve talked to (docs and non docs) have such wide differences of opinion about them.  We are still trying to find out what   the spot on my husband’s lung is and if there is a viable alternative to surgery. I’m also getting quite an education!! Kath

Response:

Is there information available (for the non-doctor) regarding PET scans and the reliability of the results.  Several people we’ve talked to (docs and non docs) have such wide differences of opinion about them.  We are still trying to find out what   the spot on my husband’s lung is and if there is a viable alternative to surgery. I’m also getting quite an education!! Kath

It’s like most new tests. Initial overenthusiasm Then despair Then it will find its place. http://www.petscan.ca has lots of data

Response:

my wife has had a bunch of petscans. in laymans terms, they basically measure the rate at which cells suck up sugar. cancer cells show up as "hot spots".  normal cells read "colder"… i know this is an unscientific explanation but maybe an analogy you can make sense of. if the cancer cells, the "spot’, is very small it wont show much hotter than surrounding cells, since the petscans resolution is not high enuff to distinguish between cancer and normal cells at those sizes.  also; a young small cancer may not be consuming sugar at a rate much higher than normal surrounding cells….here again, distinguishing between normal and cancer cells is tough for the petscan. in my wifes case, with large tumors and blood supply to them directly from the aorta, it is very easy to "see" the cancer, and to tell how active it is. thats the way i misunderstand it… hope this helps. mark-h

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Is there information available (for the non-doctor) regarding PET scans and the reliability of the results.  Several people we’ve talked to (docs and non docs) have such wide differences of opinion about them.  We are still trying to find out what   the spot on my husband’s lung is and if there is a viable alternative to surgery. I’m also getting quite an education!! Kath

Response:

The PET scan is exactly how was described in the previous post.  I have had Hodgkin’s disease for the last 18 months and my doc at Penn swears by them.  They have a higher resolution than a CAT scan (a standard at some hospitals).  When my cancer came back after my first treatment I has a CAT scan on a Thursday that was all clear and I had a PET scan that showed some questionable readings the next Monday. That just goes to show you it is more effective.  Most doctors should rely on more than one test though because of questionable results and the backup of tests that rely on two differing forms of detection. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Is there information available (for the non-doctor) regarding PET scans and the reliability of the results.  Several people we’ve talked to (docs and non docs) have such wide differences of opinion about them.  We are still trying to find out what   the spot on my husband’s lung is and if there is a viable alternative to surgery. I’m also getting quite an education!! Kath

Response:

The PET scan is exactly how was described in the previous post.  I have had Hodgkin’s disease for the last 18 months and my doc at Penn swears by them.  They have a higher resolution than a CAT scan (a standard at some hospitals).  When my cancer came back after my first treatment I has a CAT scan on a Thursday that was all clear and I had a PET scan that showed some questionable readings the next Monday. That just goes to show you it is more effective.  Most doctors should rely on more than one test though because of questionable results and the backup of tests that rely on two differing forms of detection.

I have Hodgkin’s as well and before we suspected it was cancer, I had three CAT scans done.   One for the neck, one for the abdomen, and one for the pelvis.   Prior to my first chemotherapy treatment, I had a PET scan.  Did the whole body in one shot.   I can’t say anything about it’s accuracy, but it was nice having everything done at once.   The PET scan is being used as my doctor’s gauge for how well the cancer is clearing up, since I’m having another one next week now that I’m at the halfway point of treatment. —- "I have cancer so you’re not allowed to disagree with me." – Pete Panaro.

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