Anyone else had PET scan to detect recurrance?

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MLG
MLG CSN Member Posts: 52
edited March 2014 in Thyroid Cancer #1
I was wondering if anyone has had a PET scan to detect recurrance?
Two body scans came back negative, regular bloodwork shows Tg at a 1 (It was always a 0.2 post surgery)

Tg level after thyrogen injection is a 5.5

Ultrasound in neck showed small mass in neck, had biopsy done and that dr didn't think it was anything.
The biopsy came back stating the samples were mostly blood samples but one had a small tissue sample that came back negative. My dr wasn't very happy that it was mostly blood samples.

I think the PET scan doesn't include the CT scan w/it. My dr didn't say anything about that.

It also sounds from some of the posts that even a PET may not show something. Is it that the cancer is so small that tests can't detect it?

It is frustrating to have some things come back negative but my dr said w/my age, 42 and that when I had surgery 2 years ago it was in my lymph nodes in my neck and w/my Tg after thyrogen was 5.5, made him concerned, but he wanted to monitor it.
I asked for the PET because I've already met my deductable w/everything else I had done this year (We have a high deductable 2500.00 per person per year) and this would probably be covered. I don't think he appreciated that but he went ahead and ordered it.
I'm waiting to see if insurance does indeed cover it.

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  • sfl67
    sfl67 Member Posts: 55
    #2
    Pet Scan
    MLG

    I was diagnosed with Hurthle Cell in July 09 and have always had detectable amounts of thyroglobulin after total thyroidectomy and RAI 131. I had the thyrogen, low dose RAI and body scan in mid September. The scan did not show anything but my tg levels went to what my doctor called the danger zone. I am waiting for insurance to pre approve a Pet/CT Scan. My doctor said he thought my tumor was small, maybe nondetectable, but he explained with the two scans you can mesh them together and sometimes the tumor, though small, will show up in contrast.

    I completely understand your wanting this test. The waiting is difficult. I wish you well.

    SFL

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