PET scans???

deanna14 said:

PET
I remember Peggy posting that article about the PET scan and a friend that works in radiology told me she thought it had been passed that insurance cos will have to cover PET scans if that is what the dr. orders. Don't quote me, I don't know where she got her info?

Deblittleton said:

Pet scan
Hi Daisy,
I am new also. Let me tell you about my experience with Pet vs Ct scan. Pre op on my abd Ct scan it showed a nodule in my left lower lung, a spot of my liver and various enlarged lymph nodes around my uterus. All I really new at this time was that I had uterine cancer.

A pulmonary critical care Dr., that I work with, discussed this with the head radiologist. It was decided to order a Pet scan the next day. The results were that several lymph nodes around the uterus "lit up", but the lung and liver showed nothing. It was presumed pre op hysterectomy that the cancer had spread to these lymph nodes. The very small nodule in the lung, possibly from a previous infection is to be followed up every 2 months with a chest Ct scan.

After the total abd. hysterectomy and 25 lymph nodes removed, ALL lymph nodes were negative! They "lit" up because of inflammation. So your other lymph nodes in the neck, thoracic and abdomen, have these been biopsied to be sure?

Deb

Ro10 said:

Daisy who did you see at Moffitt
I too am going to Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. I am seeing Dr. Sachin Apte. He is the one who did my robotic surgery in January.

It would be great if the "lit" up lymph nodes were inflammation rather than metastasis. That would be wonderful news. I hope you find out soon. The waiting is so anxiety provoking. Good luck with your appeal. I hope you get an answer soon. You remain in my prayers.

barb55 said:

Breathe
Mary Anne, I have a magnet on my refrigerator door that says: Things to do today-Breathe in Breathe out. I follow this simple rule everyday. This sure can be overwhelming but You are not a statistic- and don't let that doctor treat you like one. Yes we need to be realistic and we have a serious cancer- we have to find a balance between battling this monster and still treating each day as a gift. My UPSC was spread to my lymph nodes and it will be just one year since my treatments ended.
Please know that you have every reason to believe that you will be okay. Sending you strength and sincere wishes.
Barb

daisy366 said:

"dead in a year"
Dear Barb, Ro, and Linda,

Thanks for your feedback and encouragement. Linda, you are welcome to come "kick his butt". My husband feels the same. Maybe I was too much in shock to feel anger toward him. Anyway, He's not my doctor, but it would be nice if these pros instill more hope rather than fear. My local doc was like yours - "you are different, you are going to beat the odds...". I think my "ignorance" was by choice since I did not want to know too much about this CA b/c all I read was "doom and gloom". I am anxiously waiting the result of chemo - wondering if I am imagining some numbness in my neck or if it is real.

I'm working on being more "in the moment. and more accepting of the AA philosophy of acceptance and that "things are as they are supposed to be at this moment". Now that my "old" doctor has left the practice-(%$#@)- I plan to call the "new" doctor tomorrow and ask for his help in fighting this insurance thing. Something better happen this week or I will call you Linda - maybe you could be my spokesperson to the insurance company!! I have a co-worker that had lung CA and had same problem with insurance. She promised that her "husband would sue them if she died" and her PET scan was promptly approved!!! I haven't gone that route yet, but may this week!!

Peace, Love and Prayers to all!!

Mary Ann (aka Daisy)

california_artist said:

PET/CT
Daisy,
(I was responding to something you wrote earlier-I didn't realize the determination had already been made. Perhaps you could appeal)

You were asking about PET and CT scans. A PET scan uses a radioactive dye that contains sugar. Cancer just loves sugar. So, you are asked to not eat for a while prior to the PET in order to render the cancer "hungry," then when you're injected with the dye combo, the cancer cells take in the sugar and the dye. When you go thru the tube, it's the metabolic activity of the cancer cells that shows up on screen. A PET scan is in a myriad of colors in order that the degree of activity can be better measured. However, the PET does not show bodily structure, a CT does. There is a new combo PET/CT that delivers the best of both worlds, it shows the metabolic activity and the associated organ or structure. CTs show only whether or not there is a mass of some kind but will not show if it's cancer or not. The PET also shows metabolic activity in general, so the bladder, kidneys etc and any osteo activity or infection also are visible. Look for a low X-ray CT so you aren't overexposed to unnecessary rays. In fighting with the insurance company, if that was you, contact the Cancer Society and ask for their recommendations for PET/CT, you should be able to use that as evidence that the scan is a necessary and standard practice not experimental.
Much love, hope and good thoughts,
Claudia
906 864-9827
claudiaallen27@yahoo.com
Happy to hear from anyone. It was almost 70degrees in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan today, surely that's some kind of a good sign.