OSTREOSCAN

DONCARLOS · August 2009

Hi you all: I had my lung surgery more than one month ago and I feel well and was told that I ws a lucky man. Everything was taken out. HOWEVER.... My Oncologyst saw me a few days after my surgery and he is the one who called me LUCKY, however, He had told me about having another scan which I thought was a new Cscan, however, it turned out that what he wants is something called a OSTREOSCAN, which is a two day test. I have tried to find the reason for this request but even his nurse just dances around me. does anyone know anything about this procedure or whatever it is????? I WILL HAVE THIS THING DONE NEXT WEEK. WHAT ARE THEY LOOKING FOR?

DON CARLOS

stayingcalm · August 2009

Octreoscan
From looking around the web, it seems it's just another scan similar to a PET, except that it takes two days. A radioactive injection the first day, and the scan the next day, which can apparently take a couple of hours. I'd never heard of this, by the way, and I thought I'd had every kind of scan there is!

I can't seem to find any info on why it is used - possibly it will give clearer images?

Hey, the nurses and doctors work for you - tie them down and beat an answer out of them

Failing that, and a nicer option; maybe someone else here knows more about this procedure.

-Deb

DONCARLOS · August 2009

ostreoscan
i HAVE TRIED WITH THE NURSES AND THEY SAY NOTHING EXCEPT THE DR. ORDERED.

My oncologyst saw me 30 days after my operatioin and told me that I needed nothing else but that he was ordereing another Scan. I may have misunderstood the name of the Scan, but I have read that it is to detect tumors. Its a nuclear testing aparatus... Well......I am concerned but it can only be of help, if anything is found that can be taken care of on time. as a top Oncolgyst and Driector of the Cancer Center, I am sure he knows what he is doing. If anyone knows, please let us all know so that we know what we are to expect.

Thanks

Don carlos

stayingcalm · August 2009

DONCARLOS said:
ostreoscan
i HAVE TRIED WITH THE NURSES AND THEY SAY NOTHING EXCEPT THE DR. ORDERED.

My oncologyst saw me 30 days after my operatioin and told me that I needed nothing else but that he was ordereing another Scan. I may have misunderstood the name of the Scan, but I have read that it is to detect tumors. Its a nuclear testing aparatus... Well......I am concerned but it can only be of help, if anything is found that can be taken care of on time. as a top Oncolgyst and Driector of the Cancer Center, I am sure he knows what he is doing. If anyone knows, please let us all know so that we know what we are to expect.

Thanks

Don carlos

More info
From the University of Virginia Health System: (There's a diagram of the scanner, looks just like the scanner for a CT scan, but even more open.)

"You have been scheduled for OctreoScan Imaging. This study involves the use of a small amount of radioactive material to show certain tumors within your body. The level of radioactivity used is extremely low and has no side effects.

OctreoScan Imaging is a 2-part study. It involves an injection on the first visit, followed by imaging the next day.

Visit 1
INJECTION – On your first visit a small amount of radioactive material will be injected into a vein in your arm. After you check in, the technologist will explain the test to you and answer any questions you might have. You will be asked to drink some water just before or just after your injection. The injection itself will only take about 15 minutes.

Visit 2 (1 day after the injection)
PATIENT PREPARATION – During your first visit, you will be instructed to drink plenty of water and be given a laxative that you will need to take the evening before you are scheduled to return. You may eat a normal dinner and breakfast prior to your arrival.

IMAGING – Depending on the reason for the test, your scan will take about 2 to 2 ½ hours. You will be positioned next to a special detector called a gamma camera and images will be taken for 1 hour. A second set of images may then be performed in another scan room with a special gamma camera called a SPECT camera. This will take approximately 1 to 1 ½ hours.

The images will then be shown to a radiologist to determine if the scan is complete. After looking at your pictures, the radiologist may decide that you need to come back the following day for additional pictures. Please make arrangements so that this will be possible if necessary."

soccerfreaks · August 2009

DONCARLOS said:
ostreoscan
i HAVE TRIED WITH THE NURSES AND THEY SAY NOTHING EXCEPT THE DR. ORDERED.

My oncologyst saw me 30 days after my operatioin and told me that I needed nothing else but that he was ordereing another Scan. I may have misunderstood the name of the Scan, but I have read that it is to detect tumors. Its a nuclear testing aparatus... Well......I am concerned but it can only be of help, if anything is found that can be taken care of on time. as a top Oncolgyst and Driector of the Cancer Center, I am sure he knows what he is doing. If anyone knows, please let us all know so that we know what we are to expect.

Thanks

Don carlos

?
Not sure what it is you are doubting about Deb's (stayingcalm's) explanation, Don Carlos. It is right on, and straight from a couple of prominent and respected institutes.

Having also read some of these sites, I would suggest that it means your doc is concerned that there are some tumors that he has not yet detected or, maybe, been able to nail down absolutely as tumors while his suspicions are high enough to warrant the test.

That is potentially bad news, I know, but from your second post, I have the feeling you are now aware of that.

I am not personally familiar with Ostreoscan, and it sounds like stayingcalm is not either. She tried to help you by exploring the subject and providing the best answers she could, it appeared, when no one else would answer (perhaps due to a lack of personal experience on our part?).

I am doing the same, frankly.

It sounds as though doc is either trying to confirm or RULE OUT additional tumors somewhere.

Let us hope that the scan results in ruling them out. In any event, you have been reading and writing here long enough now Don Carlos to realize that even a positive result (in the negative sense of the word 'positive'

) is not the end of the world, is not a death sentence.

My best wishes for you with this test. Please let us know both your results, as we care, and what you experienced, as we seek knowledge.

Take care,

Joe

DONCARLOS · August 2009

OSTREOSCAN
Hi Joe: Thanks. I read and accept what everyone is saying. I also spoke with the Radiologist this morning.(the same who did the PetScan before the surgery) Te doubt is that the Thoracic Dr. is not the one who ordered this but the Oncologyst. He also said that the PETSCAN did not show any other area but the one I was operated on, but this scan is more accurate and its designed to look for tumors that may have developed from the previous one or MATESTASIZED (?). Well, lets see what happens. I thought it was over when they told me that they had the whole thing. I was even asked if I wanted this scan cancelled and my answer was ABSOLUTELY NO......Lets go find whatever else may be there and deal with it.

DONCARLOS · August 2009

DONCARLOS said:
OSTREOSCAN
Hi Joe: Thanks. I read and accept what everyone is saying. I also spoke with the Radiologist this morning.(the same who did the PetScan before the surgery) Te doubt is that the Thoracic Dr. is not the one who ordered this but the Oncologyst. He also said that the PETSCAN did not show any other area but the one I was operated on, but this scan is more accurate and its designed to look for tumors that may have developed from the previous one or MATESTASIZED (?). Well, lets see what happens. I thought it was over when they told me that they had the whole thing. I was even asked if I wanted this scan cancelled and my answer was ABSOLUTELY NO......Lets go find whatever else may be there and deal with it.

ostreoscan
Hi: My Oncologyst just called me because he heard that I was concerned. He confirmed what you all have written.. He added. "don't worry about it you will be OK". So I will go for it and will pass the results on to you all when I get them.

I feel better now.

Thank you all.

Don carlos

stayingcalm · August 2009

DONCARLOS said:
ostreoscan
Hi: My Oncologyst just called me because he heard that I was concerned. He confirmed what you all have written.. He added. "don't worry about it you will be OK". So I will go for it and will pass the results on to you all when I get them.

I feel better now.

Thank you all.

Don carlos

Scan
May it go well for you, DonCarlos

DONCARLOS · August 2009

ostrescan
Strange: I called my thoracic Dr. as he is known to be the best in his field. His Nurse called mne back and she had no idea of what I was talking about. She had never heard of such Scan, She told me that all my Dr. wanterd was a regular C-Scan. The way I see it is....I CANNOT HURT ME....If what the Oncologist wants is to find if there is no other problem related to this cancer it can only be good, because if there is, it could be treated, or as Joe will say "IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD". But it is strange that not many people have heard of this scan. I do have a friend MD in Texas and he explained the whole thing to me and finds it very wise to get it done.... My friend did mention the possiblity of some of these cancers attacking the bones?????? I will go for it and as soon as I have done the procedure I will post it to the list. On the other side I can tell yuo all that I feel well. I do get tired at times and this very dull pain on my side that is with me 24-7, but I can bear it. In talking with other survivors with the same procedure as mine they all tell me the same about the pain (which seems to move around) even after more than one year after the operation. Well lets give time to time

Full Speed ahead

Don Carlos

DONCARLOS · August 2009

OSTEOSCAN
AS PROMISED: This is the response from my MD Friend from Texas......

I hope it can be of help to others.....

<<Do you know what this is?>>

Indeed I do. First, it is a BONE SCAN (OSTEO SCAN), a nuclear scanning test to see if a cancer might have spread to (metastasized) to the bones. It is also used to determine bone infections, tumors, irregularities, causes of back pain, arthritis, etc. The scan itself takes about an hour but the procedure of injecting the nuclear tracing agent , and follow up pictures that are done hours later, make it a long procedure. In your case I think that it is merely a routine test to assure the oncologist that your cancer has been removed and did not spread.

Don CArlos

stayingcalm · August 2009

DONCARLOS said:
OSTEOSCAN
AS PROMISED: This is the response from my MD Friend from Texas......

I hope it can be of help to others.....

<<Do you know what this is?>>

Indeed I do. First, it is a BONE SCAN (OSTEO SCAN), a nuclear scanning test to see if a cancer might have spread to (metastasized) to the bones. It is also used to determine bone infections, tumors, irregularities, causes of back pain, arthritis, etc. The scan itself takes about an hour but the procedure of injecting the nuclear tracing agent , and follow up pictures that are done hours later, make it a long procedure. In your case I think that it is merely a routine test to assure the oncologist that your cancer has been removed and did not spread.

Don CArlos

Sorry for the confusion!
So it's a completely different scan, I'm sorry if I led you astray! I hope it goes well, whatever kind of scan it is

soccerfreaks · August 2009

DONCARLOS said:
OSTEOSCAN
AS PROMISED: This is the response from my MD Friend from Texas......

I hope it can be of help to others.....

<<Do you know what this is?>>

Indeed I do. First, it is a BONE SCAN (OSTEO SCAN), a nuclear scanning test to see if a cancer might have spread to (metastasized) to the bones. It is also used to determine bone infections, tumors, irregularities, causes of back pain, arthritis, etc. The scan itself takes about an hour but the procedure of injecting the nuclear tracing agent , and follow up pictures that are done hours later, make it a long procedure. In your case I think that it is merely a routine test to assure the oncologist that your cancer has been removed and did not spread.

Don CArlos

Thanks for the update, Don Carlos
It is pretty much as suspected. (Osteo is a prefix meaning related to the bones, after all.)

And as others have sadly pointed out lately, metastasis to the bones (along with the brain) are two likely avenues for movement of lung cancer, so it makes great sense in that regard to have the test.

Thanks for the update, Don Carlos. I do hope that your results of this scan come out in your favor, as both your MD friend and OncoMan seem to be betting on.

Take care,

Joe

DONCARLOS · August 2009

OSTEOSCAN
Thanks to you all. Now we know something new. My concern is: I had petscan and as I understood, Petscan is to show any area in your system with cancer and mine showed only the areas where the Thoracic Doctor was pointing on, and he informed me very clearly. You seem to be well so lets go for the surgery. HOWEVER, with Obama's new way, I would rather go for this now before I am declared too old to get benefits. I ask if anyone knows how long these pains last???? My next door neighbor had his surgery six mnths ago and he is still in pain which at times are impossible. Mine are not so bad and I can bear them without taking the percocet, and tgo be honest, a .5 Xnax helps me more than any other medication. I feel bvlesses to the fact that at 77 I take BP medication only becaue I decided to do so but my BP is normally 120/70. I was taking Hyzaar and now I take Norvasc 5mg. I take the Xnax only when I am a little anxious. Otherwise I take nothing else.

May you all ve well.

Don Carlos

OSTREOSCAN

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