Dazed and confused??

rmap59

No, I am not stoned just confused about a ct scan versus a pet scan. I get my first ct scan after chemo on March 11th but have had some educated people ask me why not a pet scan since it shows more?? I was not smart enough when my onc scheduled this to know to ask questions. Can someone enlighten me? Thanks for the reply.

Still praying for all,
Robin

Fergus2007

One doesn't really show "more" then the other.
The show different things.

A ct scan will show a mass that is there (including scar tissue and calcium deposits)
A pet scan will show anything that is "active" - as in "growing" including recovering tissue.

I guess after the tumor has been 100% identified as being cancerous your oncologist just needs to see how much smaller the mass got after the chemo.

Limey

my doctor always mentions a ct scan but i always get a combo ctpet scan. The way I can tell is if i get a CT scan, it only takes minuites. whereas a ctpet takes two hours.

KathiM

Depending on your insurance company, it may or may not 'allow' a PET scan at this stage. CT scans are much less expensive. (I know, I know, shouldn't work that way...but it does...).

Interesting, I am 3 years in May from my resection (5/2005). Haven't had a PET since Jan, 2005...my onc feels that I have had enough radiation to last my entire life, so she stays as minimal as she can. I HAVE had CT's and MRI's tho...but only when there is a possibility of something...

Hugs, Kathi

cjf2006

I have had only one pet scan, but regular CT scans. The reasoning being that the pet helps the dr know which masses revealed in a CT scan are active. As mentioned by others, CT scans reveal masses, which may or may not be cancer. The pet uses a radioactive isotope attached to a sugar molecule. Cancer gobbles up sugar, so the isotope is taken into the active cancer and makes it "glow" on the film.

vinny3

The PET scan is an enhancement of the CT scan. It is to see if masses/lumps etc that show up on the CT will "light up" ( be more active metabolically which is a sign of faster metabolizing cells i.e. cancer, inflammation, healing tissue). The CT scan is cheaper so will be used most commonly for the routine followups.

****

hopefulone

Robin, not much I can add, but I can tell you that a PET differentiated between "cancer cells and scar tissue for my hubby so far". Gool luck and God bless.

renee2u

Yes... the PET scans shows cancer activity.. the CT scans show mass...

I like PET scans much better... they don't reactivate my diarrhea.. LOL!