2nd Pet/Scan?

Irishgypsie
Irishgypsie Member Posts: 333
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Hi everyone. Yes, I check this site regularly; but don't say much at this point. I guess I'm like Kristen and am trying to keep away from the depression and flashbacks! Plus i don't want to jinx anything. I was wondering about the time frame between Pet/ct scans. I had my initial post (baseline) pet scan back on Oct. 4th. Now my Doc says I'm ready for another one; it was a year ago last week from Diagnosis. does this sound right or is it too soon? Thanks! God Bless!

Charles

Comments

  • hawk711
    hawk711 Member Posts: 566
    #2
    Charles
    Howdy Charles. My Dr says every 6 mos on the PET scan for the first 18 months. He said the PET scan is a new process and they really don't have the protocol for how often it should be used. He said all Dr's are feeling their way on how often. I will have had 3 in 12 months and I think it is a good tool to show if any disease exists anywhere in your body, not just the head and neck area. I asked my Dr to show me the CD and explain it to me and it is a wonderful tool.
    I don't think it can be to often really.
    Hope this helped...
    All the best, Steve
  • Kent Cass
    Kent Cass Member Posts: 1,898 Member
    #3
    hawk711 said:

    Charles
    Howdy Charles. My Dr says every 6 mos on the PET scan for the first 18 months. He said the PET scan is a new process and they really don't have the protocol for how often it should be used. He said all Dr's are feeling their way on how often. I will have had 3 in 12 months and I think it is a good tool to show if any disease exists anywhere in your body, not just the head and neck area. I asked my Dr to show me the CD and explain it to me and it is a wonderful tool.
    I don't think it can be to often really.
    Hope this helped...
    All the best, Steve

    Schedule
    For me:
    #1 was at 2 1/2- months after the last rad
    #2 was at 1-year
    #3 will be at 2-year, and happen on 4/4/11

    kcass
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #4
    Hi Charles
    6 years later and I still do a PET and MRI every 6 months

    All the best to you my frined
    Hondo
  • Jimbo55
    Jimbo55 Member Posts: 590 Member
    #5
    PET/CT
    Charles, I had a CT scan 3 months post TX, the 1st PET/CT was 6 months post TX. They set the schedule to have a scan every 3 months for the 1st year. If everything was clean, the scans would be every 6 month the 2nd year. The results of my 1st PET/CT were questionable, so now I am scheduled for another PET/CT only 2 months after the initial one.

    I believe as long as the results of the PET/CT are clean, they gradually increase the interval between scans. Other doctors I have consulted have stated the initial PET/CT should be 3 months post TX. Cheers

    Jimbo
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #6
    PET/CT
    Hi bud, hope all is well with you and abby.....

    Similar to others, I had a schedule very similar to Kent as for the PET. A few months post Rads, then one year later, and scheduled for one in another few months shich will be my 2nd annual.

    I had CT scans every 3 - 4 months during and after for the first year, then spread out to six months for now.

    Best to you my friend,
    John
  • fisrpotpe
    fisrpotpe Member Posts: 1,349 Member
    #7
    Year One
    Year one of survivorship the doctors feel this time has the highest risk of reoccurrence. I had mine scan every three months for the first year and half. Then they went to every six months until the start of year four then they were one year apart. during all this time I was getting chest x-rays very often as my doctors felt the lungs would be the area most likely to show up again if it did.

    I know you have a choice, you just have to say is it worth the risk of not having them.

    Good to see you on board again, so many here need the help from those that have been thru the ugly fight.

    John
  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    #8
    Chiming in here late...
    Hi Chuck!
    -
    Good to hear from you. I guess the schedule really depends on what your original diagnosis was. My Stanford doc is insistent that he see me, scope me, palpate me, and jam his finger down my throat every six weeks. My other schedule is a bit more spread out. I had a baseline MRI at two months, a PET-CT at three months, and now I wait roughly a year from that first PET-CT till the next one. Given the way these things space out, it will end up being some 16-18 months out from end of treatment. If my doc says thats okay, I'm good with it.

    Deb - who is having a hard time checking in here also.
  • timreichhart
    timreichhart Member Posts: 194
    #9
    D Lewis said:

    Chiming in here late...
    Hi Chuck!
    -
    Good to hear from you. I guess the schedule really depends on what your original diagnosis was. My Stanford doc is insistent that he see me, scope me, palpate me, and jam his finger down my throat every six weeks. My other schedule is a bit more spread out. I had a baseline MRI at two months, a PET-CT at three months, and now I wait roughly a year from that first PET-CT till the next one. Given the way these things space out, it will end up being some 16-18 months out from end of treatment. If my doc says thats okay, I'm good with it.

    Deb - who is having a hard time checking in here also.

    About PET Scan
    Well my chemo told me I would have PET scans done every 6-8 months for next 3 years.

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