PET scan questions

nancy591
nancy591 Member Posts: 1,027 Member
edited March 2014 in Ovarian Cancer #1
I was hoping for some insight on a PETscan I recently had. Since I've been having ongoing bowel obstruction symptoms and a SLOW rising ca125 my surgeon wanted me to have a PET/CT. The CT scan was clear but the PETscan showed one hotspot on my colon. The oncologist said it would unusual to have only ONE hotspot on a PETscan in cases of a reoccurence. My CA125 actually went down from a 14 to a 10 and the catscan was clear. He cannot confirm or deny a reoccurence and wants me to have a colonoscopy. Has anyone heard of a similar finding. I'm hoping the hotspot is nothing more than a polyp. Also, is brain a mestastic site for ovarian. I've been suffering from headaches and very paranoid!

Comments

  • cancer survivor x 4
    cancer survivor x 4 Member Posts: 177
    #2
    Pet Scan
    Nancy,
    Here is my experience with a Pet Scan. I had a CT scan and a Bone scan. All was clear. Then I had a Pet Scan and it picked up an enlarged lymph node in my arm pit. I had surgery to remove the enlarged lymph node and guess what? All it was, was an enlarged lymph node. That lymph node had been that way for 25 years. The only reason they took it out was because some lymphoma's can lay dorment for years and years. Sorry, my spelling is not that great. Hope this info helps you out. Paula
  • groundeffect
    groundeffect Member Posts: 639 Member
    #3
    PET ?
    I would think a colonoscopy would be in order, especially with obstruction problems. PET scans can be more accurate indicators of cancer activity than CTs, because they target the disease.

    Have you spoken to your doctor about your headaches? Are you drinking enough water? (my husband always suggests dehydration when I have a headache, and sometimes he's right..)
  • saundra
    saundra Member Posts: 1,370 Member
    #4
    To Nancy
    I have never had a PET, but the CT scans showed one tumor on my colon after a bout of diverticulitis. After we fought the bowel disease with anti biotics and hospitalization, the tumor showed up in the same spot. I did not have a colonoscopy because it is close enough to the rectum that it can be felt with a physical.
    It was not felt two weeks ago after 4 doses of carboplatin. And all of the left side pain is gone.

    I believe the brain is a mestastic site. I would ask my doctor for sure.

    ((Hugs and Prayers)) Saundra
  • BonnieR
    BonnieR Member Posts: 1,526 Member
    #5
    false readings
    Hi Nancy, Many times there are areas in the pet scans that are not cancer even though they light up. I know I have areas in my chest wall and other lymph nodes that light up but have never shown on the ctscan and by now they should have. I knew of someone also who had areass that lit up, not ovarian cancer person, but when they biopsied it was not cancer. Just thought I'd toss that out. Prayers for peace for you. Hugs bonnie
  • zinaida
    zinaida Member Posts: 221
    #6
    BonnieR said:

    false readings
    Hi Nancy, Many times there are areas in the pet scans that are not cancer even though they light up. I know I have areas in my chest wall and other lymph nodes that light up but have never shown on the ctscan and by now they should have. I knew of someone also who had areass that lit up, not ovarian cancer person, but when they biopsied it was not cancer. Just thought I'd toss that out. Prayers for peace for you. Hugs bonnie

    pet scan
    Hello everyone! My CA-125 did go up from september. June-9, sept-16,nov-29. December 4 - CT scan was "OK", but december 30 CA-125 - 832. PET scan on 01-05-10:" 5 spots in pelvic area ovarian cancer metastatic spread".I hope it is not all cancer.With best wishes,Zina.
  • Hissy_Fitz
    Hissy_Fitz Member Posts: 1,834
    #7
    zinaida said:

    pet scan
    Hello everyone! My CA-125 did go up from september. June-9, sept-16,nov-29. December 4 - CT scan was "OK", but december 30 CA-125 - 832. PET scan on 01-05-10:" 5 spots in pelvic area ovarian cancer metastatic spread".I hope it is not all cancer.With best wishes,Zina.

    Headaches......
    I had headaches for awhile, too - everyday. I asked my doctor the same question: does OVC spread to the brain. He said it's rare, but can happen.
  • Cindy Bear
    Cindy Bear Member Posts: 569
    #8
    SUV
    HI Nancy. I don't usually comment on these boards, just lurk and loiter. I lost my mother to uterine cancer in June. I wanted to comment on your pet scan question. What were your SUV nos. Did they say? When we received my mother's diagnosis of Stage IV based on a cat scan and then pet scan, the dr. kept mentioning the SUV . My sisters and I were like what the hell is he talking about. Anyhow, the SUV stands for standard uptake volume and it's a measurement of how much cells light up during the pet scan based on how much of the radioactive glucose they take up. The theory being cancer cells are gluttons and more active and will take in more of the solution. A reading higher than 2.7 is malignancy per my mother's gyn/oncologist. DO you know what your SUV nos. were. If the hotspot had a lower no. than that, it's most likely not malignant. There can be alot of false positives and negatives with these scan as well. Infection, inflammation can all make things light up.
    I hope this info. helps you.
  • kayandok
    kayandok Member Posts: 1,202 Member
    #9
    Cindy Bear said:

    SUV
    HI Nancy. I don't usually comment on these boards, just lurk and loiter. I lost my mother to uterine cancer in June. I wanted to comment on your pet scan question. What were your SUV nos. Did they say? When we received my mother's diagnosis of Stage IV based on a cat scan and then pet scan, the dr. kept mentioning the SUV . My sisters and I were like what the hell is he talking about. Anyhow, the SUV stands for standard uptake volume and it's a measurement of how much cells light up during the pet scan based on how much of the radioactive glucose they take up. The theory being cancer cells are gluttons and more active and will take in more of the solution. A reading higher than 2.7 is malignancy per my mother's gyn/oncologist. DO you know what your SUV nos. were. If the hotspot had a lower no. than that, it's most likely not malignant. There can be alot of false positives and negatives with these scan as well. Infection, inflammation can all make things light up.
    I hope this info. helps you.

    Cindy,
    thanks for that golden nugget. I have had 3 or 4 PET/CT's and although I saw that SUV on the report, never quite understood. It all makes sense now.
    Kathleen:)
  • LPack
    LPack Member Posts: 645
    #10
    Hissy_Fitz said:

    Headaches......
    I had headaches for awhile, too - everyday. I asked my doctor the same question: does OVC spread to the brain. He said it's rare, but can happen.

    brain
    My doctor said OVC usually stays in the lower part of body (organs), but can spread to bones.

    Libby
  • nancy591
    nancy591 Member Posts: 1,027 Member
    #11
    Cindy Bear said:

    SUV
    HI Nancy. I don't usually comment on these boards, just lurk and loiter. I lost my mother to uterine cancer in June. I wanted to comment on your pet scan question. What were your SUV nos. Did they say? When we received my mother's diagnosis of Stage IV based on a cat scan and then pet scan, the dr. kept mentioning the SUV . My sisters and I were like what the hell is he talking about. Anyhow, the SUV stands for standard uptake volume and it's a measurement of how much cells light up during the pet scan based on how much of the radioactive glucose they take up. The theory being cancer cells are gluttons and more active and will take in more of the solution. A reading higher than 2.7 is malignancy per my mother's gyn/oncologist. DO you know what your SUV nos. were. If the hotspot had a lower no. than that, it's most likely not malignant. There can be alot of false positives and negatives with these scan as well. Infection, inflammation can all make things light up.
    I hope this info. helps you.

    SUV
    Thanks for the input...very interesting! My suv was 4.7 and yes, it was malignant. 13mm area that was undetected on ct scan.
  • ptharp
    ptharp Member Posts: 190
    #12
    Nancy: I have not had a Pet

    Nancy: I have not had a Pet Scan yet, but my Oncologist told me that Ovarian Cancer does not spread to the brain. It is very very rare.

  • kikz
    kikz Member Posts: 1,345 Member
    #13
    ptharp said:

    Nancy: I have not had a Pet

    Nancy: I have not had a Pet Scan yet, but my Oncologist told me that Ovarian Cancer does not spread to the brain. It is very very rare.

    I am sorry to say that Nancy passed

    as well as a few of the other lovely women on this post.

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