Scans

stepet
stepet Member Posts: 69
edited March 2014 in Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) #1
Hi everyone, here is my question. I am going for a cat-scan and a pet-scan in May. I have had cat-scans every three months since March of 2003. All the cat-scans have been clean. I had one pet-scan in March of 2003 right after my treatment was complete. I should let you know I only had radiation therapy with no chemo. Well my pet-scan showed "activity" in the same area as the cancer. We have chalked it up to scar tissue, untill now. If my pet-scan still comes back with "activity" should I be concerned? If they tell me it is still scar tissue should I believe it? Just wondering if anyone has had a similar situation. Thaks Sandi

Comments

  • dpomroy
    dpomroy Member Posts: 135
    #2
    I have a PET and CT every 6 months. I have had things show up on the CT but not on the PET, which were nothing to be concerned about. I have also had things show up on the PET which were not on the CT. One time it was miniscule bits of tumor too small for the CT to pick up; but more often the positive results were other things. A PET as you know lights up whenever it finds highly metabolic cells. Cancer is highly metabolic, but so are areas that are healing. My PET lit up once in my rib bones, which had my docs all worried. Ends up I had cracked 3 ribs from a horrible 3 month long cold, that involved way too much hard coughing. Let me know what you find out!
  • kellyreav
    kellyreav Member Posts: 7
    #3
    Hi. I finished 12 treatments of ABVD (minus the B in february due to bleomycin toxicity) on April 5th. I had my first ct scan last monday and the doc says there is still a mass in my chest. He says this is VERY common with hodgkins and says he's about 60-70% sure it's scar tissue. I'm scheduled for a chest x ray in 5 weeks. I won't feel better until he says he is 100% sure it's scar tissue. I guess we just have to think positive and wait and see.
  • kerj
    kerj Member Posts: 3
    #4
    I have finished up chemo and radiation in Dec., I was also thinking about just getting radiation, because it was just in one spot on my neck, but I opted to get both, and ultimately I am glad I did. I have gotten 2 sets of scans after completion of both treatments and on my 1 round of scans, my cat scan showed up as enlarged lymph node and they said that it was possible scar tissue and my PET scan came back negative, so I was happy about that. I just had my second round of scans after 6 months and both came back negative. I would be concerned about the Pet scan, and definatley look into it. Your doctors know way more than I about medical situations, put personally I would keep having them checked just so you make sure and so you can stop worrying. Good luck to you and stay positive! Kari
  • stepet
    stepet Member Posts: 69
    #5
    kerj said:

    I have finished up chemo and radiation in Dec., I was also thinking about just getting radiation, because it was just in one spot on my neck, but I opted to get both, and ultimately I am glad I did. I have gotten 2 sets of scans after completion of both treatments and on my 1 round of scans, my cat scan showed up as enlarged lymph node and they said that it was possible scar tissue and my PET scan came back negative, so I was happy about that. I just had my second round of scans after 6 months and both came back negative. I would be concerned about the Pet scan, and definatley look into it. Your doctors know way more than I about medical situations, put personally I would keep having them checked just so you make sure and so you can stop worrying. Good luck to you and stay positive! Kari

    Go for my scans tommorrow yes I get to do a cat-scan first, and then the pet-scan. Wow what a fun day that's going to be! I hope they both come back clear it has been six months since the last cat-scan and a year since my last pet-scan. I am nervous about the pet-scan. I will definately be asking a lot of questions if it still has activity.

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