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First Nuclear Medicine Appt— How to prepare and What to Expect?

t3zureislnz
t3zureislnz CSN Member Posts: 12
in Prostate Cancer #1

My father has his first appt tomorrow. Anyone can share how you prepared for this appt? 

Any side effects?

Thank you

 

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Comments

  • eonore
    eonore CSN Member Posts: 185 Member
    #2
    Nuclear scan

    I assume that the appointment is for a nuclear scan to try and identify and locate metastatic tissue, if it exists.  As far as preparation, your doctor or radiologist should have told your dad what prep is required.  As far as side effects, in my two scans there were no side effects.  The material leaves your system very quickly, and other than the inconvenience of having to go, it is really no big deal.

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  • t3zureislnz
    t3zureislnz CSN Member Posts: 12
    #3
    eonore said:

    Nuclear scan

    I assume that the appointment is for a nuclear scan to try and identify and locate metastatic tissue, if it exists.  As far as preparation, your doctor or radiologist should have told your dad what prep is required.  As far as side effects, in my two scans there were no side effects.  The material leaves your system very quickly, and other than the inconvenience of having to go, it is really no big deal.

    I guess it’s nuclear scan.

    Thank you. He has to go @8:30am I guess for injection, then come back @11.

    I did not want to ask him too much. Might stress him out.

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  • kidclutch
    kidclutch CSN Member Posts: 57 Member
    #4
    Hello!

    Hello!

    It is just a long day. Should not be any side effects from this type of appointment. 

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  • Georges Calvez
    Georges Calvez CSN Member Posts: 547 Member
    #5
    Technetium scan

    Hi there,

    I guess it is a technetium scan to find bone metastases.
    I arrived in the morning and was injected with a very light blue solution, I guess that was the colour of the technetium compound.
    I came back in the afternoon and was scanned, about half an hour later I was told that they could not find any detectable bone metastases.
    This was just the first of the surprises with my cancer as 98% of people with a PSA of > 100 have some.
    Interestingly technetium is the only transition element which is almost entirely man made on earth, it has a very short half life and may only occur in traces as a result of very rare nuclear reactions. All the technetium used is sourced from nuclear reactors.

    Best wishes,

    Georges

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  • t3zureislnz
    t3zureislnz CSN Member Posts: 12
    #6
    Georges Calvez said:

    Technetium scan

    Hi there,

    I guess it is a technetium scan to find bone metastases.
    I arrived in the morning and was injected with a very light blue solution, I guess that was the colour of the technetium compound.
    I came back in the afternoon and was scanned, about half an hour later I was told that they could not find any detectable bone metastases.
    This was just the first of the surprises with my cancer as 98% of people with a PSA of > 100 have some.
    Interestingly technetium is the only transition element which is almost entirely man made on earth, it has a very short half life and may only occur in traces as a result of very rare nuclear reactions. All the technetium used is sourced from nuclear reactors.

    Best wishes,

    Georges

    Good news!!

    Bone scan is negative. I wonder what’s next? Treatment?

     

    Thank you

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  • Georges Calvez
    Georges Calvez CSN Member Posts: 547 Member
    #7
    2 per cent club

    Hi there,

    Wow, your dad has just joint the 2 per cent club with a cricket score bigger than mine.

    MRI and CT scans next to look for metastases in the lungs, pancreas, etc I think.

    Not out of the woods yet but he is a very lucky man so far.

     

    Best wishes,

     

    Georges

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  • kidclutch
    kidclutch CSN Member Posts: 57 Member
    #8
    t3zureislnz said:

    Good news!!

    Bone scan is negative. I wonder what’s next? Treatment?

     

    Thank you

    that’s wonderful news!

    that’s wonderful news!

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  • t3zureislnz
    t3zureislnz CSN Member Posts: 12
    #9
    Thank you all!!

    Glad I found this website. You guys have been very helpful:)

    Much appreciated!!

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