PET scan question...

idlehunters
idlehunters Member Posts: 1,787 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
How soon after you have a chemo treatment can you have a PET scan? My onc. always told me you need to wait about a week. Now he is sending me Wednesday... 15 minutes after I get my pump disconnected. It just don't seem right to have all that fresh chemo juice running thru your veins and then put all that radioactive crap in there on top of it and expect a correct and reliable scan. BUT.. I could be wrong. However, why did my onc always tell me in the past that I had to wait a week??? Couldn't ask him as he was busy but his nurse said that he told her it was ok.... when I asked why he had told me different in the past.... she just laughed and said "oh..he's just crazy sometimes" WHAT????? I told her thats ok.... I understand... and the next time I see him I will be a little crazy too... only it won't be so funny! He had previously scheduled me a PET scan last week and when I went in for it they refused to give it to me because it had only been 6 days since my last Neulasta shot and you have to wait 2 weeks on that to get an accurate scan. I was a little hot to say the least... not at them but at my onc.... this is the man I am trusting my life to and he don't even realize what treatment I am on????? WTF! It may have been an oversight but I pay him GOOD money not to have oversights ..... he is messing with MY life.... I am losing faith in him fast. Anyway.. now that I have vented on that.... can anyone answer my question about PET scan and chemo???
Thanks all!

Jennie

Comments

  • standbyme
    standbyme Member Posts: 41
    #2
    I don't know about a PET
    I don't know about a PET scan but my husband has had two cat scans with the pump still on.
  • jmaddox915
    jmaddox915 Member Posts: 80 Member
    #3
    My doctor told me you had to
    My doctor told me you had to wait for a few weeks before you can get a reliable PET scan because the chemo in your system can "light" up like cancer. CT scans are different. I may be wrong but that is what my oncologist told me.
  • lesvanb
    lesvanb Member Posts: 905
    #4
    jmaddox915 said:

    My doctor told me you had to
    My doctor told me you had to wait for a few weeks before you can get a reliable PET scan because the chemo in your system can "light" up like cancer. CT scans are different. I may be wrong but that is what my oncologist told me.

    I agree with jmaddox915
    for the same reasons. Chemo can light up a a PET. I had my PET/CT Aug 15 09 and ended my chemo May 10 09. Hope that helps, though it doesn't shed light on your onc's decision-making. I'll be thinking of you as you work this out.

    Leslie
  • Shayenne
    Shayenne Member Posts: 2,342
    #5
    lesvanb said:

    I agree with jmaddox915
    for the same reasons. Chemo can light up a a PET. I had my PET/CT Aug 15 09 and ended my chemo May 10 09. Hope that helps, though it doesn't shed light on your onc's decision-making. I'll be thinking of you as you work this out.

    Leslie

    You know....
    ... I've never been asked to get a PET Scan, weird eh?

    Hugsss!
    ~Donna
  • AnneCan
    AnneCan Member Posts: 3,673 Member
    #6
    Shayenne said:

    You know....
    ... I've never been asked to get a PET Scan, weird eh?

    Hugsss!
    ~Donna

    I have not had a PET either
    I have only had CTs & MRIs. I am allergic to the CT dye & had a reaction even when they gave me the meds to prevent the reaction. I had my last CT without the dye. Yesterday I asked my onc what they will do next time & she said probably a combo of MRI & CT w/out the dye.
  • Buzzard
    Buzzard Member Posts: 3,043 Member
    #7
    AnneCan said:

    I have not had a PET either
    I have only had CTs & MRIs. I am allergic to the CT dye & had a reaction even when they gave me the meds to prevent the reaction. I had my last CT without the dye. Yesterday I asked my onc what they will do next time & she said probably a combo of MRI & CT w/out the dye.

    I had a CT scan first
    then a PET scan then a full body Cat scan then an MRI because of a spot in my brain they found the size of a BB. It was a meningioma and it was encapsulated. No more scans for me unless my CEA goes up.......
  • mcsauder
    mcsauder Member Posts: 68
    #8
    PET SCANS
    Jennie
    I get PET scans all the time in the past 6 mouths I had 7 Pet scans
    My Doc. always puts it off for a week he never told me what the time frame was but I would think not right after chemo
  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #9
    mcsauder said:

    PET SCANS
    Jennie
    I get PET scans all the time in the past 6 mouths I had 7 Pet scans
    My Doc. always puts it off for a week he never told me what the time frame was but I would think not right after chemo

    Wow
    That just seems to be overboard on the PET scans having one 6 times in 7 months. I wouldn't think that is good for the body. Don't mean to question your doctor, but is that really necessary for that many scans? I might get a second opinion.

    Kim
  • elizabethgd
    elizabethgd Member Posts: 145
    #10
    AnneCan said:

    I have not had a PET either
    I have only had CTs & MRIs. I am allergic to the CT dye & had a reaction even when they gave me the meds to prevent the reaction. I had my last CT without the dye. Yesterday I asked my onc what they will do next time & she said probably a combo of MRI & CT w/out the dye.

    PET scan
    I have not had a PET scan either...CT and MRI only
  • mcsauder
    mcsauder Member Posts: 68
    #11
    Annabelle41415 said:

    Wow
    That just seems to be overboard on the PET scans having one 6 times in 7 months. I wouldn't think that is good for the body. Don't mean to question your doctor, but is that really necessary for that many scans? I might get a second opinion.

    Kim

    Your right
    Kim
    Your right I went over my paper work and it was 4 PET scans I had one after each procedure but that's seem to be a lot I don't know maybe I need to look more in to this and I have one in Dec. 21st
    Mike
  • Kathryn_in_MN
    Kathryn_in_MN Member Posts: 1,252 Member
    #12
    more questions than answers
    This is something I need to look into.

    I have chemo #4 on Dec 3, and a PET scheduled for the 15th. (So we'll have results before my appt on the 17th for my next chemo.) The plan all along has been to redo the PET after 4 tx to see where I am at. Not sure if I'm stage III or IV due to the previous scan (so soon after surgery - could have been some false positives due to surgery trauma).

    I had to get Neupogen shots after #2, and now this week after #3. Is is assumed I will have to get them each time. This means Neupogen Dec 7, 8 and 9. I wonder if this is the same as Nuelesta - if I have to wait 2 weeks? It would mean interrupting the treatment schedule just to do a scan....

    So many drugs and tests and interactions. It all gets confusing.
  • KATE58
    KATE58 Member Posts: 299
    #13
    PET SCANS
    PET SCANS OR POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY- USING RADIO ISOTOPES ,SENDS POSITRONS AND ELECTRONS THRU YOUR BODY THAT COLIDE WITH EACH OTHER CAUSING GAMMA RAYS WHICH COLLECT IN 'HOT SPOTS" THE INJECTION YOU RECEIVE IS FLOURODEOXYGLUCOSE (FDG)WHICH CAUSES ANY AREAS OF HIGH METABOLIC ACTIVITY TO'LIGHT UP'
    BUT IT IS NOT AS DEFINED AS A CT SCAN. I HAVE GOTTEN A SCAN EVERY THREE MONTHS-ALTERNATING WITH A CT SCAN AND A PET SCAN,USUALLY A PET/CT SCAN WHICH DOES BOTH SIMULTANOUSLY
    I HAVE HAD ABOUT 8 PET SCANS AND ABOUT 10 CT SCANS AND HAVE NEVER HAD ONE WITHIN A WEEK OF A CHEMO TREATMENT.THE THING ABOUT A CT IS, IT ONLY SHOWS MASSES,WHETHER THEY ARE SCAR TISSUE OR BENIGN OR WHATEVER.A PET SCAN SHOWS METABOLICALLY ACTIVE (GROWING)HOT SPOTS,BUT THE MASSES ARE UNDEFINED.A PET /CT SHOWS BOTH. SOMETIMES IF YOU JUST GET A PET THEY HAVE TO GET A CT AFTER ANYWAY JUST TO'SEE' THINGS BETTER.
    I KNOW MOST EVERY ONE DOESN'T WANT TO KNOW THIS MUCH ,BUT I FEEL LIKE I AM WORKING ON MY MEDICAL DEGREE IN THE 4 AND A HALF YEARS I'VE BEEN SICK.I HAVE STACKS OF MEDICAL BOOKS AND THE DOCTORS ARE ALWAYS SURPRISED WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN THINGS TECNICAL.I GET COPIES OF ALL MY SCAN REPORTS AND USED TO SPEND HOURS WITH A MEDICAL DICTIONARY LOOKING EVERYTHING UP
    I HOPE THE NEXT TIME PEOPLE SEE MY NAME THEY DON'T GROAN
    GOOD LUCK TO YOU ,HOPE I WAS SOME HELP
    GOD BLESS
    KATE
  • KATE58
    KATE58 Member Posts: 299
    #14
    mcsauder said:

    PET SCANS
    Jennie
    I get PET scans all the time in the past 6 mouths I had 7 Pet scans
    My Doc. always puts it off for a week he never told me what the time frame was but I would think not right after chemo

    HEY JENNIE,
    I GET SCANS
    HEY JENNIE,
    I GET SCANS EVERY THREE MONTHS ALTERNATING CT AND PET SCANS,MY DOCTOR SAID SHE DID NOT WANT TO GIVE ME PET SCANS ANY MORE THAN ONCE EVERY 6 MONTHS AS THAT IS A LOT OF RADIATION.THE CT SCANS ARE NOT AS "RADIOACTIVE"
    THAT'S WHAT MY DOCS SAY
    GOOD LUCK
    KATE
  • keepthink3
    keepthink3 Member Posts: 15
    #15
    KATE58 said:

    PET SCANS
    PET SCANS OR POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY- USING RADIO ISOTOPES ,SENDS POSITRONS AND ELECTRONS THRU YOUR BODY THAT COLIDE WITH EACH OTHER CAUSING GAMMA RAYS WHICH COLLECT IN 'HOT SPOTS" THE INJECTION YOU RECEIVE IS FLOURODEOXYGLUCOSE (FDG)WHICH CAUSES ANY AREAS OF HIGH METABOLIC ACTIVITY TO'LIGHT UP'
    BUT IT IS NOT AS DEFINED AS A CT SCAN. I HAVE GOTTEN A SCAN EVERY THREE MONTHS-ALTERNATING WITH A CT SCAN AND A PET SCAN,USUALLY A PET/CT SCAN WHICH DOES BOTH SIMULTANOUSLY
    I HAVE HAD ABOUT 8 PET SCANS AND ABOUT 10 CT SCANS AND HAVE NEVER HAD ONE WITHIN A WEEK OF A CHEMO TREATMENT.THE THING ABOUT A CT IS, IT ONLY SHOWS MASSES,WHETHER THEY ARE SCAR TISSUE OR BENIGN OR WHATEVER.A PET SCAN SHOWS METABOLICALLY ACTIVE (GROWING)HOT SPOTS,BUT THE MASSES ARE UNDEFINED.A PET /CT SHOWS BOTH. SOMETIMES IF YOU JUST GET A PET THEY HAVE TO GET A CT AFTER ANYWAY JUST TO'SEE' THINGS BETTER.
    I KNOW MOST EVERY ONE DOESN'T WANT TO KNOW THIS MUCH ,BUT I FEEL LIKE I AM WORKING ON MY MEDICAL DEGREE IN THE 4 AND A HALF YEARS I'VE BEEN SICK.I HAVE STACKS OF MEDICAL BOOKS AND THE DOCTORS ARE ALWAYS SURPRISED WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN THINGS TECNICAL.I GET COPIES OF ALL MY SCAN REPORTS AND USED TO SPEND HOURS WITH A MEDICAL DICTIONARY LOOKING EVERYTHING UP
    I HOPE THE NEXT TIME PEOPLE SEE MY NAME THEY DON'T GROAN
    GOOD LUCK TO YOU ,HOPE I WAS SOME HELP
    GOD BLESS
    KATE

    pet scans
    I was just wondering , I'm due for my Pet Scan after my chemo treatment and I always have a problem with the drink they give you. I have to run to the bathroom. Never could hold much. They had a catheter in me the first time. Can't stand that. Then they gave me one without. So glad for that, but since I can't hold that much liquid I had to use a bed pan on the table right after the test, almost didn't make it! You mentioned injection before the Pet Scan is there a way to take a shot of something instead of drinking the liquid?
  • cyndi2324
    cyndi2324 Member Posts: 72
    #16
    I think Kate has the right
    I think Kate has the right info. I never drank anything for my Pet CT I always was given a shot. Kate is right that a PET shows FDG uptake a CT more organ definition. I don't know about the time frame and chemo but I have not had a PET/CT within 6 days of chemo. But I have had o many xray, PET, CT, MRI's this past year I probably glow in the dark.
    Good Luck
    Cyndi

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