lung cancer/PET Scan

weezie
weezie Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Lung Cancer #1
I have two spots on my left lung. The smaller one they at first thought might be scarring. I had a
biopsy on the larger one and it is cancer. I am curious about the PET scan. the doctor tells me he will
have to do exploratory surgery, if the small one is cancer he will just close me up and do radiation.
If the smaller one is not cancer he will remove larger one. Wouldn't PET scan tell me before
undergoing surgery?

Comments

  • patrick
    patrick Member Posts: 10
    #2
    Please check your e-mail here. Patrick
  • rory
    rory Member Posts: 30
    #3
    What does the PET scan tell you? How does it work. I have developed swelling in my left arm. They did a CT scan of my chest due to the fact I have a pacemaker and cannot have an MRI. The CT revealed a small spot in my right lung, but they cannot see behind the pacer on the left due to scatter emitting from it. The doctor tells me the PET is the only way to see behind the pacer. She is worried that due to the arm symptoms I may have another spot in the upper apex of the lung. How does the PET work, and will it do what needs to be done??
  • hunter
    hunter Member Posts: 10
    #4
    rory said:

    What does the PET scan tell you? How does it work. I have developed swelling in my left arm. They did a CT scan of my chest due to the fact I have a pacemaker and cannot have an MRI. The CT revealed a small spot in my right lung, but they cannot see behind the pacer on the left due to scatter emitting from it. The doctor tells me the PET is the only way to see behind the pacer. She is worried that due to the arm symptoms I may have another spot in the upper apex of the lung. How does the PET work, and will it do what needs to be done??

    I have recurring lung cancer. rihgt now I have a lot of symptoms and they can't find the cancer. I had a PET Scan on the 5th of October. If you have any cancer the radition material they give you by IV goes directly to the cancer. It is the latest diagnotic tool. There is no pain except for the needle, which we are all use to by now.
  • rory
    rory Member Posts: 30
    #5
    hunter said:

    I have recurring lung cancer. rihgt now I have a lot of symptoms and they can't find the cancer. I had a PET Scan on the 5th of October. If you have any cancer the radition material they give you by IV goes directly to the cancer. It is the latest diagnotic tool. There is no pain except for the needle, which we are all use to by now.

    Hi hunter, I'm Rory. What kind of symptoms are you having? I have left upper chest and upper back discomfort, asymmetrical left breast, and swelling of the left arm and hand. They found a 11 mm spot in the right lung by CT, but have not been able yet to visualize they left upper lung. They couldn't do an MRI due to my Pacemaker, that is why the PET scan.
  • patrick
    patrick Member Posts: 10
    #6
    rory said:

    Hi hunter, I'm Rory. What kind of symptoms are you having? I have left upper chest and upper back discomfort, asymmetrical left breast, and swelling of the left arm and hand. They found a 11 mm spot in the right lung by CT, but have not been able yet to visualize they left upper lung. They couldn't do an MRI due to my Pacemaker, that is why the PET scan.

    I had the PET scan early this morning. I just heard. Nothing for certain, which was not all together unexpected. My 'nodules' are 2mm to 7mm. There is only one that is 7. That was the only one they could see and there was "no definitive reading." The smallest that the machine can see is 6mm.

    There is really nothing to the test. The tech tells you what it is, a radiated glucose. Glucose goes to the cancerous tumor and the radiation lights it up to see. It is very much like a CT scan without holding your breath. They stick you with the stuff. You wait 30 minutes for it to find its way. It takes 40 more minutes for the x-rays. Sorry I could not be of more help. Patrick
  • loulou
    loulou Member Posts: 65 Member
    #7
    patrick said:

    I had the PET scan early this morning. I just heard. Nothing for certain, which was not all together unexpected. My 'nodules' are 2mm to 7mm. There is only one that is 7. That was the only one they could see and there was "no definitive reading." The smallest that the machine can see is 6mm.

    There is really nothing to the test. The tech tells you what it is, a radiated glucose. Glucose goes to the cancerous tumor and the radiation lights it up to see. It is very much like a CT scan without holding your breath. They stick you with the stuff. You wait 30 minutes for it to find its way. It takes 40 more minutes for the x-rays. Sorry I could not be of more help. Patrick

    Hi patrick, loulou here. Will you be doing further testing, some kind of treatment, or what?
    loulou
  • patrick
    patrick Member Posts: 10
    #8
    loulou said:

    Hi patrick, loulou here. Will you be doing further testing, some kind of treatment, or what?
    loulou

    The nodules are only 2mm to 7 mm in size. They are in all 4 lobes. Therefore, surgery and radiation are out, which of course only leaves chemo. However, there needs to be a tissue sample taken to determin what type of chemo. The bronchoscopy was performed to take many samples to rule out an inflamatory disease, which it did, and to try to get lucky and get a piece of a nodule, which it didn't. They are too small to be seen on x-ray and florascope. So now we wait to let them get bigger so as to get a sample.

    Keep in mind that I may get lucky and have it be a rare inflamatory deal.

    Thanks for your interest. Patrick
  • hunter
    hunter Member Posts: 10
    #9
    rory said:

    Hi hunter, I'm Rory. What kind of symptoms are you having? I have left upper chest and upper back discomfort, asymmetrical left breast, and swelling of the left arm and hand. They found a 11 mm spot in the right lung by CT, but have not been able yet to visualize they left upper lung. They couldn't do an MRI due to my Pacemaker, that is why the PET scan.

    Rory
    Sorry it has taken so long to get back to you. I am just having pain in my right under arm and along my right breast. When I had the PET scan it showed nothing. Let me now if you have had yours by now and what it showed. I'll try to keep in better touch.

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