CAT scan? Is that typical?

MMDowns
MMDowns Member Posts: 318
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hello H&N friends,

  I hope everyone had a good weekend and got through Monday!  I am back with another question; shocking, I know :)  My husband is scheduled for a CAT scan on Thursday.  He rememembers the rads oncologist telling us that he would do one after treatments but honestly it was our very first meeting with him and I was still a bit shell shocked at that time.  I have no notes on why he said he was going to do one.  Is this a typical procedure for patients several weeks after treatments ended? My hubby is currently in his 4th week post treatments.  He says he remembers asking the dr how do they check to see if the treatments were working after all was said and done and the dr replied with doing a CAT scan.  He will also meet with the rads dr on the 22nd to go over the CAT scan.  Needless to say I am a tad nervous.  I can still feel the lump; although it is MUCH smaller- I have to really push in to feel it and it is no longer visible at all (before you could see it clearly).  Should it be gone by now?  I know he is still "cooking" as you all like to say and could still be cooking for weeks to come.  Just wondering if CAT scans are typical and maybe what they are looking  for?  This is definitely a period of waiting and seeing... Not a fan. 

  Have a good day!

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Comments

  • traceyd1
    traceyd1 Member Posts: 79 Member
    #2
    I remember that my husband

    I remember that my husband had a CAT scan midway through radiation to make sure it was working.  I think there may have been treatment changes if wasn't working.  Luckily, it was shrinking.  Good luck to you!  It's hard to be the caregiver.  I remember the "shell-shocked" feeling well.  Prayers and Blessings sent your way.

    Tracey

  • Joel4
    Joel4 Member Posts: 263 Member
    #3
    Not Sure...If

    If it is typical or not, but my Oncologist has not ordered a CAT.  Instead, I have been scheduled to take a three month post treatment PET scan.  Post treatment scans are understandably nerve wracking, just need to find a way to stay positive and not think about the results too much (easier said than done).

    As far as still feeling a small lump, it is my understanding that they don't always disappear.  There may still be the shriveled up remnants of the node but that does not mean the cancer still exists.  

    Joel

  • Chicklette
    Chicklette Member Posts: 225
    #4
    Don't Worry

    I know ... easier said than done.  My husband is supposed to get a CAT scan 8 weeks after treatment ends.  Today is only day 7 of treatments and so far so good.  (Hug)

  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,724 Member
    #5
    4 weeks?

    MMD,

    For many if not most a PET was done 12 weeks post.  Over the last few years it seems they are steering away from them (more expensive, more dangerous).

    Rads should shrink and kill the tumor. Some residual (noncancerous) mass may remain.  I had surgery, so mine was gone.

    Matt

  • MMDowns
    MMDowns Member Posts: 318
    #6
    traceyd1 said:

    I remember that my husband

    I remember that my husband had a CAT scan midway through radiation to make sure it was working.  I think there may have been treatment changes if wasn't working.  Luckily, it was shrinking.  Good luck to you!  It's hard to be the caregiver.  I remember the "shell-shocked" feeling well.  Prayers and Blessings sent your way.

    Tracey

    Thank you! We will take all

    Thank you! We will take all the prayers and blessings we can get :)  I am assuming they want to make sure that the treatments worked and what's happenings inside now.  It's the wait and see that is so very hard.

  • MMDowns
    MMDowns Member Posts: 318
    #7
    Joel4 said:

    Not Sure...If

    If it is typical or not, but my Oncologist has not ordered a CAT.  Instead, I have been scheduled to take a three month post treatment PET scan.  Post treatment scans are understandably nerve wracking, just need to find a way to stay positive and not think about the results too much (easier said than done).

    As far as still feeling a small lump, it is my understanding that they don't always disappear.  There may still be the shriveled up remnants of the node but that does not mean the cancer still exists.  

    Joel

    The hubby gets a PET on Aug 1

    The hubby gets a PET on Aug 1.  I guess the CAT scan is to see what's up now. I have heard that some people's swollen node really never goes away but it still is a worry.  We are just starting the 4th week post treatments and so I keep reminding myself that the rads dr. told us that the radiation can still work 4-8 weeks after the last treatment.  That's some relief.

     

      Hope you are doing well! 

  • MMDowns
    MMDowns Member Posts: 318
    edited May 2017 #8
    Chicklette said:

    Don't Worry

    I know ... easier said than done.  My husband is supposed to get a CAT scan 8 weeks after treatment ends.  Today is only day 7 of treatments and so far so good.  (Hug)

    Almost done with the first

    Almost done with the first week!  What an achievement!!    It is hard not to worry.  There are days when I am blessedly distracted by life and making plans for summer vacation, etc... and then something triggers a thought and the worry is back.  Just another reminder that the Big C is always with us.  I think the CAT scan is just a way for the dr to make sure his treatment plan worked and is still working.  

     Continued prayers and good thoughts for both of you!  I am glad that your hubby is doing well.  (Hugs)

  • MMDowns
    MMDowns Member Posts: 318
    edited May 2017 #9
    CivilMatt said:

    4 weeks?

    MMD,

    For many if not most a PET was done 12 weeks post.  Over the last few years it seems they are steering away from them (more expensive, more dangerous).

    Rads should shrink and kill the tumor. Some residual (noncancerous) mass may remain.  I had surgery, so mine was gone.

    Matt

    The CAT scan (told to me by

    The CAT scan (told to me by my hubby) is to see how the treatments worked.  I guess a more thourough follow up?  He has his first PET scan on Aug 1st.  It's just another way to strike up worry in my mind.  I have full faith in the treatment plans that were set up for my husband.  I also believe the radiation is still working in his body because he still has side effects and tongue sensitivity.  We shall see.  The scan is on Thursday and we meet with the dr on Monday.   Thanks Matt! 

  • AnotherSurvivor
    AnotherSurvivor Member Posts: 384 Member
    #10
    Minor reconnaissance.  CT is

    Minor reconnaissance.  CT is less invasive than PET, but also less definitive.  They did a CT as part of my rad, every week, I suspect it may depend on the capabilities of the ray gun.  PET is much more sensitive, and even at 12 weeks his rad may still be cooking.  Others here have had to come back later.  But a CT will show if the mass has shrunk.

  • MMDowns
    MMDowns Member Posts: 318
    edited May 2017 #11
    AnotherSurvivor said:

    Minor reconnaissance.  CT is

    Minor reconnaissance.  CT is less invasive than PET, but also less definitive.  They did a CT as part of my rad, every week, I suspect it may depend on the capabilities of the ray gun.  PET is much more sensitive, and even at 12 weeks his rad may still be cooking.  Others here have had to come back later.  But a CT will show if the mass has shrunk.

    Yes! Thank you!  That was

    Yes! Thank you!  That was really helpful.  I just wanted some reassurance, I guess.  I know no one can tell me for sure because everyone's story and treatments, and dr's are different.  I think the mass has shrunk... at least what I can feel.  It's much smaller and harder to find when I am irritating my husband and feeling it for the 90th time. (poor guy)but I don't know if that is an indicator of anything. Not a dr. and don't play one on t.v.  (poor attempt at a lame joke). Gotta smile :) 

  • Chicklette
    Chicklette Member Posts: 225
    #12
    MMDowns said:

    Yes! Thank you!  That was

    Yes! Thank you!  That was really helpful.  I just wanted some reassurance, I guess.  I know no one can tell me for sure because everyone's story and treatments, and dr's are different.  I think the mass has shrunk... at least what I can feel.  It's much smaller and harder to find when I am irritating my husband and feeling it for the 90th time. (poor guy)but I don't know if that is an indicator of anything. Not a dr. and don't play one on t.v.  (poor attempt at a lame joke). Gotta smile :) 

    Hahaha

    I say that all the time "I'm not a doctor and I don't play one on TV". :-D

  • Sprint Car Dude
    Sprint Car Dude Member Posts: 181
    #13
    Unsure

    Unsure of the normal procedures. My radiation oncologist did my PET 3 months post treatment. She advised that with the chemo and radiation the area would still light up. It even lit up after the 3 month scan. On the 6 month scan everything had normalized. I diffinately be sure to question their rationale. With that said don't be surprised if your scan lights up after only a month.  Good Luck and keep us in the loop.

  • AnotherSurvivor
    AnotherSurvivor Member Posts: 384 Member
    #14
    When they did my PET they

    When they did my PET they gave me an injection of a sugar mix as cancer loves sugar and will suck it in and glow on the results.  CTs more or less show greyish shadows, and don't differentiate cancerous material, but they do allow them to see the size of the greyish shadowy material.  There is yet another test, MRI, and for that they use an iodine solution.  That can allow them to see blood clots.   My kid the doc uses CT for pretty much everything that comes in the ER.     It allows them to see below the surface instantly.

     

  • MMDowns
    MMDowns Member Posts: 318
    #15
    Sprint Car Dude said:

    Unsure

    Unsure of the normal procedures. My radiation oncologist did my PET 3 months post treatment. She advised that with the chemo and radiation the area would still light up. It even lit up after the 3 month scan. On the 6 month scan everything had normalized. I diffinately be sure to question their rationale. With that said don't be surprised if your scan lights up after only a month.  Good Luck and keep us in the loop.

    This isn't a scan to see if

    This isn't a scan to see if he's NED. He has a PET scan in august. I guess this is to just make sure the treatm are working and maybe to see if the node has shrunk. 

  • soonermom
    soonermom Member Posts: 155
    #16
    CT scan

    We are also having a four week post treatment CT but we know it is because there is a concern about the size of his residual node.  The surgeon, RO and MO disagree about what they can feel remaining.  The only way to know the size for sure is to compare it to the first CT.  Depending on what that shows we will proceed with the 12 week post treatment PET as originally planned or be looking at other options.  It is very stressful for us as we never expected any imaging before the 12 week post treatment point.  This was not a happy surprise but as with many parts of this journey you just have to roll with it because you cannot control it.  Hoping and coping.  Keep us posted.  

  • MMDowns
    MMDowns Member Posts: 318
    #17
    Chicklette said:

    Hahaha

    I say that all the time "I'm not a doctor and I don't play one on TV". :-D

    At least someone got it!

    At least someone got it!

  • MMDowns
    MMDowns Member Posts: 318
    edited May 2017 #18
    soonermom said:

    CT scan

    We are also having a four week post treatment CT but we know it is because there is a concern about the size of his residual node.  The surgeon, RO and MO disagree about what they can feel remaining.  The only way to know the size for sure is to compare it to the first CT.  Depending on what that shows we will proceed with the 12 week post treatment PET as originally planned or be looking at other options.  It is very stressful for us as we never expected any imaging before the 12 week post treatment point.  This was not a happy surprise but as with many parts of this journey you just have to roll with it because you cannot control it.  Hoping and coping.  Keep us posted.  

    That's interesting.  Sorry

    That's interesting.  Sorry for the not so great suprise.  Not all suprises are welcome.  Did the dr's.  tell you all during treatments that they were concerned about the size of the node?  My husband's dr. said every week that he saw my husband that he was pleased with how well the node was responding.   About 1/2 through the treatments my husband asked the RO how would they really know if the treatments worked and were working and the RO told him they would do a CAT scan.  I wasn't there for that discussion and was suprised whe my husband told me late last week that he was going in for one.  I am hoping and praying that this is part of the rads dr.'s follow up.  We have been told nothing negative regarding why he is getting a CAT scan.  He's already scheduled for a PET scan on Aug. 1.  

       Good luck to you on the scan!  Hope it all works out well!

  • AnotherSurvivor
    AnotherSurvivor Member Posts: 384 Member
    #19
    My weekly CT was part of my

    My weekly CT was part of my treatment strategy.  My tumor shrank from across my body mid-line towards the right margin of my throat.  As it shrank the CT tracked it, and at week 4 they changed the center of the target, and readjusted the angle of the ray-gun.  The intent was to try to minimize damage to my left side salivary glands. Time will tell, but sometime in the future I am supposed to start seeing dry mouth relief.   But, I suspect that is all highly variable on the tumor, location, etc.   What we did do is time-stage the retreat in size, so they could actually see the change in motion.  Compared to the gy from the ray-gun, CT is trivial.  

  • MMDowns
    MMDowns Member Posts: 318
    #20
    AnotherSurvivor said:

    My weekly CT was part of my

    My weekly CT was part of my treatment strategy.  My tumor shrank from across my body mid-line towards the right margin of my throat.  As it shrank the CT tracked it, and at week 4 they changed the center of the target, and readjusted the angle of the ray-gun.  The intent was to try to minimize damage to my left side salivary glands. Time will tell, but sometime in the future I am supposed to start seeing dry mouth relief.   But, I suspect that is all highly variable on the tumor, location, etc.   What we did do is time-stage the retreat in size, so they could actually see the change in motion.  Compared to the gy from the ray-gun, CT is trivial.  

    my husband never had Ct scans

    my husband never had Ct scans during treatments.  I talked to the nurse today and just expressed mu concerns and she told me this is routine for this dr. He wants to see what's happening now. But of course I'm worried and it's hard not to be. We just started the process of our new normal and its kind of like we're thrust back into the wait and worry portion of tnis game. I just pray that what they see is good and that they're happy with his progression. I don't want the fact that his nose is still slightly swollen to be a negative thing. It's so much smaller than before but it's not "normal " feeling.  It's just a lot. But it's necessary so we do it  

     

  • AnotherSurvivor
    AnotherSurvivor Member Posts: 384 Member
    #21
    Somehow, my whole head shrank

    Somehow, my whole head shrank (and my children rather had fun with that).  All my hats are too large.  My jeans I could handle, but I have been assembling my hat collection for decades.  I grasp I am facing a new normal, but I would like to retain elements of the old one.

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