PET scan question

JanJan63
JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member

As I've mentioned, My brother recently passed from cancer. It was of the esophagus. Anyway, I was talking to me sister-in-law last night and she said that at one point he had a PET scan. I've heard of them but never had one or had it explained to me. She said it's just a blood test. Is that right? The word scan makes me think of something more than that.

Comments

  • harleywiz
    harleywiz Member Posts: 50 Member
    pet scan

    i have had about 5 now what they have done to me no sugar or anything that can make surger can be eaten for 24 hours i think might have been 48 dont rember then they put you in a room by yourself afther a while they come in and inject you with a radited glucoast and make you wait for about a 45 mintues then take you to a room where they have a scanner a lot like a cat scan and they scan from your neck to maybe waist looking for where you light up showing where the cancer is

  • LivinginNH
    LivinginNH Member Posts: 1,456 Member
    Hi,
    No...it's not a simple

    Hi,

    No...it's not a simple blood test.  It's similar to a CT scan except that you need to drink a radioactive contract since it will then show cells glucose uptake.

    Positron emission tomography (PET)[1] is a nuclear medicine, functional imaging technique that produces a three-dimensional image of functional processes in the body.

    A PET scan measures important body functions, such as blood flow, oxygen use, and sugar (glucose) metabolism, to help doctors evaluate how well organs and tissues are functioning.

    CT imaging uses special x-ray equipment, and in some cases a contrast material, to produce multiple images or pictures of the inside of the body. These images can then be interpreted by a radiologist on a computer monitor. CT imaging provides excellent anatomic information.

    Today, almost all PET scans are performed on instruments that are combined PET and CT scanners. The combined PET/CT scans provide images that pinpoint the anatomic location of abnormal metabolic activity within the body. The combined scans have been shown to provide more accurate diagnoses than the two scans performed separately.

    Take care,

    Cyn

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member

    Hi,
    No...it's not a simple

    Hi,

    No...it's not a simple blood test.  It's similar to a CT scan except that you need to drink a radioactive contract since it will then show cells glucose uptake.

    Positron emission tomography (PET)[1] is a nuclear medicine, functional imaging technique that produces a three-dimensional image of functional processes in the body.

    A PET scan measures important body functions, such as blood flow, oxygen use, and sugar (glucose) metabolism, to help doctors evaluate how well organs and tissues are functioning.

    CT imaging uses special x-ray equipment, and in some cases a contrast material, to produce multiple images or pictures of the inside of the body. These images can then be interpreted by a radiologist on a computer monitor. CT imaging provides excellent anatomic information.

    Today, almost all PET scans are performed on instruments that are combined PET and CT scanners. The combined PET/CT scans provide images that pinpoint the anatomic location of abnormal metabolic activity within the body. The combined scans have been shown to provide more accurate diagnoses than the two scans performed separately.

    Take care,

    Cyn

    Thank you, both of you. I

    Thank you, both of you. I didn't think it was just a blood test, she must be mistaken.

  • zx10guy
    zx10guy Member Posts: 273 Member

    Hi,
    No...it's not a simple

    Hi,

    No...it's not a simple blood test.  It's similar to a CT scan except that you need to drink a radioactive contract since it will then show cells glucose uptake.

    Positron emission tomography (PET)[1] is a nuclear medicine, functional imaging technique that produces a three-dimensional image of functional processes in the body.

    A PET scan measures important body functions, such as blood flow, oxygen use, and sugar (glucose) metabolism, to help doctors evaluate how well organs and tissues are functioning.

    CT imaging uses special x-ray equipment, and in some cases a contrast material, to produce multiple images or pictures of the inside of the body. These images can then be interpreted by a radiologist on a computer monitor. CT imaging provides excellent anatomic information.

    Today, almost all PET scans are performed on instruments that are combined PET and CT scanners. The combined PET/CT scans provide images that pinpoint the anatomic location of abnormal metabolic activity within the body. The combined scans have been shown to provide more accurate diagnoses than the two scans performed separately.

    Take care,

    Cyn

    Actually, you don't drink the

    Actually, you don't drink the radioactive glucose.  It's injected into your blood stream.  The main reason why PETs are used after a CT is done is to measure metabolic activity.  Tumor cells have a high metabolic rate and as such will take in more of the radioactive glucose than the surrounding normal tissue.  The images produced by a PET will have hot spots or areas that glow brighter than the surrounding tissue.  The bright area shows the hyper metabolic activity and is assumed to be the cancer cells/tumor.  The numeric readings from the PET of the hyper metabolic area is given as an SUV number.  The higher the SUV number the more intense the metabolic activity.  If I remember correctly, 3 and below is considered normal.

    When I was diagnosed, the tumor in my descending colon measured out at 6.x.  A PET was ordered for me because I had 2 3CM lesions in my liver on my CT scan.  The PET was to see if these lesions were metastisis or hemangiomas.  Fortunately, the lesions didn't light up on the PET.  A biopsy was still done during my colon resection surgery to be 100% sure the lesions were hemangiomas since PETs can have false positives AND negatives.

  • LivinginNH
    LivinginNH Member Posts: 1,456 Member

    Hi,
    No...it's not a simple

    Hi,

    No...it's not a simple blood test.  It's similar to a CT scan except that you need to drink a radioactive contract since it will then show cells glucose uptake.

    Positron emission tomography (PET)[1] is a nuclear medicine, functional imaging technique that produces a three-dimensional image of functional processes in the body.

    A PET scan measures important body functions, such as blood flow, oxygen use, and sugar (glucose) metabolism, to help doctors evaluate how well organs and tissues are functioning.

    CT imaging uses special x-ray equipment, and in some cases a contrast material, to produce multiple images or pictures of the inside of the body. These images can then be interpreted by a radiologist on a computer monitor. CT imaging provides excellent anatomic information.

    Today, almost all PET scans are performed on instruments that are combined PET and CT scanners. The combined PET/CT scans provide images that pinpoint the anatomic location of abnormal metabolic activity within the body. The combined scans have been shown to provide more accurate diagnoses than the two scans performed separately.

    Take care,

    Cyn

    Updated

    Hi,

    Rick had a PET-CT scan at MGH, and I forgot (it's been 4 yrs), but for this scan, he had the radioactive material administered by IV after he drank the contrast and left me the waiting room.  The drink that I mentioned was an orally administered barium contrast that was used for maximum sensitivity for his abdomen and colon tract.  He would sit with me and drink about 16oz of that horrible tasting stuff before getting the radioactive IV fluid.  It took him about 2 hrs. total for the entire procedure.  It you're just doing at PET scan, it may be quicker and you probably woudn't need to drink that delicious barium contrast.  ;)

    Best of luck with everything!  :)

    Cyn

     

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member

    Updated

    Hi,

    Rick had a PET-CT scan at MGH, and I forgot (it's been 4 yrs), but for this scan, he had the radioactive material administered by IV after he drank the contrast and left me the waiting room.  The drink that I mentioned was an orally administered barium contrast that was used for maximum sensitivity for his abdomen and colon tract.  He would sit with me and drink about 16oz of that horrible tasting stuff before getting the radioactive IV fluid.  It took him about 2 hrs. total for the entire procedure.  It you're just doing at PET scan, it may be quicker and you probably woudn't need to drink that delicious barium contrast.  ;)

    Best of luck with everything!  :)

    Cyn

     

    Interesting...

    Interesting...

  • NewHere
    NewHere Member Posts: 1,427 Member
    JanJan63 said:

    Interesting...

    Interesting...

    My Pet Scan

    Had to drink something (Rasberry, cold, actucally not too terrible) and also something via IV.  

    Think that was the more radioactive portion, enough where people step away and got a card to show police or TSA.  (I had the drink for another test, where I did not get card.)  There is enough to trigger some of the sensitive equipment that the NYPD carries.  :)  (Serious, albeit funny.  KInd of.)

    One place where I was scheduled to have PET scan did have a bunch of rules about eating, but where I went was less restrictive.  Not quite as concerned about sugar, but need to go check what the instructions were.  

    Otherwise the test is the same old same old, stuck in a tube.  Probably about an hour.  

     

     

  • Cazz
    Cazz Member Posts: 106
    PET Scan on CD

    I always ask for a copy of scans and reports, so when I got my PET scan home on cd I immediately loaded it on to my computer.  I knew I was looking for anal (I know I'm poaching on your forum) and hip tumors to be lit up and sure enough I found them easily.  When I scrolled up a bit however, I was absolutely horrified to see this very large mass, lit up like a Christmas tree.  I panicked thinking that the CT scan had totally missed this monstrosity and I was going to die for sure!!!!  Next day, when I went to see the oncologist, I immediately asked about this new, huge tumor - only to have him tell me that it was my bladder!  Which just goes to show, a tiny bit of knowledge can be a very scary thing!

    Cazz

  • zx10guy
    zx10guy Member Posts: 273 Member
    Just to clarify some more.

    Just to clarify some more.  The stuff you take orally is called Barium Sulfate.  It's used to coat the internal linings/walls of your esophagous, stomach, and intestines.  When a CT is ordered with IV contrast, this means iodine is injected intravenously to help further with organ imaging.

    There is NO dye used in PET scans.  The material is radioactive glucose or fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG).  This is also part of the reason why many people push the idea that sugar feeds cancer.  And I won't get into that rat hole.  The PET picks up on the radiation from the radioactive glucose and hence why you are warned about being radiactive for about a day.  I was told I needed to stay away from children and pregnant women when I had my PET done for 24 hours.

    And while we're on the subject of PET scans, I've observed many people wanting frequent scans and also insisting on frequent PET scans.  Maybe the following numbers will create some pause before you ask for that next scan again.  We all know exposure to X-rays is not a good thing due to the radiation exposure.  A chest X-ray exposes the body to 0.02mSv of radiation.  A CT scan exposes a body to 6.5 to 8mSv of radiation.  A PET alone without a CT done exposes a body to 14mSv of radiation.  And here's the big shocker, a PET/CT exposes a body to 23 to 26mSv of radiation.  The subject of scan frequency is a very personal one and one you should have with your oncologist.  Your oncologist should be setting your schedule based on your risk of recurrence versus the detrimental long term affects of radiation exposure in causing other cancers.  Due to my relatively young age, my oncologist has chosen to err on the conservative side to reduce my radiation exposure.  Hence why I have only yearly CT scans of my abdomen and chest X-rays.

    Oh and I concur with always to ask for your scan images and reports.  I feel I'm fairly technical and can understand much of medical jargon I have to absorb due to my illness.  But I do draw the line that I am not a medically trained radiologist.  I have looked at my scans before getting the radiology report.  But I know ultimately, the radiology report is what I should focus on.

  • herdizziness
    herdizziness Member Posts: 3,624 Member
    Think of a CT Scan

    I've had PET scans at Dominican and Stanford, you drink the nasty white liquid (like you do for CT Scan) only less of it.  They inject you with the radioactive type dye, or what most of us call a dye because we tend to not want to live in constant hospital/radiologist jargon but prefer to simplify things for ourselves and others.(called tracers which leave your body in about two to ten hours or so, depending on how much they injected)then sit around for an hour waiting for your organs to absorb it, this is so they can see your organs working(no, you don't get a card or anything)then are just told to drink a lot of water and get the stuff out of your kidneys, as it isn't good for them, when you're done with the scan) takes about ten minutes to 15 minutes (this is usual for me taking from shoulders to pelvis)in the tube, if you're getting more checked like from brain to legs it would take longer.

    I've never had a limit on what to eat (like don't eat sugar, need to let them know if you're diabetic, that's a different story, otherwise it doesn't matter according to them) only NOT to eat about 4 hours before the test and you can drink water.

    Over 5 years I've had a few of them, due to Onc's orders trying to find my ever elusive colon tumors, NOT ever due to a request from me. I'm pretty sure our doc's (at least I hope the majority do) warn us about the radiation from the scans and order them when necessary only, plus insurance companies don't care to pay for  unnecessary PET/CT scans. 

    When you get a PET scan they are pretty darn good about warning you of the what's, why for's etc.

    Winter Marie

  • Easyflip
    Easyflip Member Posts: 588 Member
    zx10guy said:

    Just to clarify some more.

    Just to clarify some more.  The stuff you take orally is called Barium Sulfate.  It's used to coat the internal linings/walls of your esophagous, stomach, and intestines.  When a CT is ordered with IV contrast, this means iodine is injected intravenously to help further with organ imaging.

    There is NO dye used in PET scans.  The material is radioactive glucose or fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG).  This is also part of the reason why many people push the idea that sugar feeds cancer.  And I won't get into that rat hole.  The PET picks up on the radiation from the radioactive glucose and hence why you are warned about being radiactive for about a day.  I was told I needed to stay away from children and pregnant women when I had my PET done for 24 hours.

    And while we're on the subject of PET scans, I've observed many people wanting frequent scans and also insisting on frequent PET scans.  Maybe the following numbers will create some pause before you ask for that next scan again.  We all know exposure to X-rays is not a good thing due to the radiation exposure.  A chest X-ray exposes the body to 0.02mSv of radiation.  A CT scan exposes a body to 6.5 to 8mSv of radiation.  A PET alone without a CT done exposes a body to 14mSv of radiation.  And here's the big shocker, a PET/CT exposes a body to 23 to 26mSv of radiation.  The subject of scan frequency is a very personal one and one you should have with your oncologist.  Your oncologist should be setting your schedule based on your risk of recurrence versus the detrimental long term affects of radiation exposure in causing other cancers.  Due to my relatively young age, my oncologist has chosen to err on the conservative side to reduce my radiation exposure.  Hence why I have only yearly CT scans of my abdomen and chest X-rays.

    Oh and I concur with always to ask for your scan images and reports.  I feel I'm fairly technical and can understand much of medical jargon I have to absorb due to my illness.  But I do draw the line that I am not a medically trained radiologist.  I have looked at my scans before getting the radiology report.  But I know ultimately, the radiology report is what I should focus on.

    I've been told

    by my doctors PET scans have their place but produce a lot of false positives. I had to have an ultrasound with a special device down my throat chasing a lymph node that lit up which never reappeared. I have a CT with contrast every 3 months. My doc even has a preference of machines, I now go to the same imaging center every time. I think I'll be every 3 months the first year, then every 6 months to year 3, then yearly.

    Easyflip/Richard

     

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    zx10guy said:

    Just to clarify some more.

    Just to clarify some more.  The stuff you take orally is called Barium Sulfate.  It's used to coat the internal linings/walls of your esophagous, stomach, and intestines.  When a CT is ordered with IV contrast, this means iodine is injected intravenously to help further with organ imaging.

    There is NO dye used in PET scans.  The material is radioactive glucose or fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG).  This is also part of the reason why many people push the idea that sugar feeds cancer.  And I won't get into that rat hole.  The PET picks up on the radiation from the radioactive glucose and hence why you are warned about being radiactive for about a day.  I was told I needed to stay away from children and pregnant women when I had my PET done for 24 hours.

    And while we're on the subject of PET scans, I've observed many people wanting frequent scans and also insisting on frequent PET scans.  Maybe the following numbers will create some pause before you ask for that next scan again.  We all know exposure to X-rays is not a good thing due to the radiation exposure.  A chest X-ray exposes the body to 0.02mSv of radiation.  A CT scan exposes a body to 6.5 to 8mSv of radiation.  A PET alone without a CT done exposes a body to 14mSv of radiation.  And here's the big shocker, a PET/CT exposes a body to 23 to 26mSv of radiation.  The subject of scan frequency is a very personal one and one you should have with your oncologist.  Your oncologist should be setting your schedule based on your risk of recurrence versus the detrimental long term affects of radiation exposure in causing other cancers.  Due to my relatively young age, my oncologist has chosen to err on the conservative side to reduce my radiation exposure.  Hence why I have only yearly CT scans of my abdomen and chest X-rays.

    Oh and I concur with always to ask for your scan images and reports.  I feel I'm fairly technical and can understand much of medical jargon I have to absorb due to my illness.  But I do draw the line that I am not a medically trained radiologist.  I have looked at my scans before getting the radiology report.  But I know ultimately, the radiology report is what I should focus on.

    Thank you!

    Thank you, zx for this detailed post. I will stash it somewhere, and refer to it when needed. 

    Sue - Trubrit

  • zx10guy
    zx10guy Member Posts: 273 Member
    Trubrit said:

    Thank you!

    Thank you, zx for this detailed post. I will stash it somewhere, and refer to it when needed. 

    Sue - Trubrit

    Sue,
    You're very welcome.  It

    Sue,

    You're very welcome.  It helps being a nerd to sift through all the technical information we all have to deal with.  Looking back at how my journey started, I'm amazed how much radiation I was exposed to when I was first diagnosed.  I had a CT with IV contrast the day after I was diagnosed through a colonoscopy.  4 days later, I'm undergoing a PET/CT.  About a week and change, I have another CT with IV contrast along with a couple of X-ray shots due to excrutiating pain I was experiencing on my left side near the site of my colon resection.  Turned out to be a kidney stone....lucky me and a great way to bring on 2013 to be in the hospital on New Years day.

    With all the radiation and chemo I've been through, I'm glad my recently born daughter appears to be normal and we were lucky enough to not have to worry about doing IVF; which was another stress point in dealing with my cancer diagnosis.

  • NewHere
    NewHere Member Posts: 1,427 Member
    Trubrit said:

    Thank you!

    Thank you, zx for this detailed post. I will stash it somewhere, and refer to it when needed. 

    Sue - Trubrit

    Ask For The Good Stuff

    The things I had to drink for my two recent scans (one being a PET/CT and one a CT, two different days) was rasberry flavored and not horrific.  It is called OmniPlaque .  Sort of like Kool-Aid or Hi-C.  Ask for it chilled, they gave me a choice and I think the warm would not have been as good.  (Though both tests were prior to chemo starting, and the chill may not work as well during chemo, could take forever to drink ;) )  There was a lot to drink, but in terms of taste, tolerable.  I am pretty good none picky eater and drinker, so that may also be a factor ;)  

     Not quite sure why mine seems so different in terms of the drink aspect..

  • zx10guy
    zx10guy Member Posts: 273 Member
    NewHere said:

    Ask For The Good Stuff

    The things I had to drink for my two recent scans (one being a PET/CT and one a CT, two different days) was rasberry flavored and not horrific.  It is called OmniPlaque .  Sort of like Kool-Aid or Hi-C.  Ask for it chilled, they gave me a choice and I think the warm would not have been as good.  (Though both tests were prior to chemo starting, and the chill may not work as well during chemo, could take forever to drink ;) )  There was a lot to drink, but in terms of taste, tolerable.  I am pretty good none picky eater and drinker, so that may also be a factor ;)  

     Not quite sure why mine seems so different in terms of the drink aspect..

    I'm with you on this.  The

    I'm with you on this.  The staff kept telling me to brace myself for the taste of the Barium Sulfate concoction.  I didn't think it was at all that bad.  Chilled or warm.  Now when I have my annual scan scheduled, the radiology or the oncologist office just gives me the container to drink before showing up.

    Now if you want nasty, I had to drink the Barium Sulfate in just plain water when they needed me to take in more of the stuff prior to one of my scans.  Drinking just the Barium in plain water will make you all wish to have some sort of flavor to mask it.

  • NewHere
    NewHere Member Posts: 1,427 Member
    zx10guy said:

    I'm with you on this.  The

    I'm with you on this.  The staff kept telling me to brace myself for the taste of the Barium Sulfate concoction.  I didn't think it was at all that bad.  Chilled or warm.  Now when I have my annual scan scheduled, the radiology or the oncologist office just gives me the container to drink before showing up.

    Now if you want nasty, I had to drink the Barium Sulfate in just plain water when they needed me to take in more of the stuff prior to one of my scans.  Drinking just the Barium in plain water will make you all wish to have some sort of flavor to mask it.

    Bleech

    Sounds delicious. ;)  Really happy I got the flavor and not the plain.

    I think they gave me the same speech or maybe it was due to the sheer amount that had to be imbibed.  I got the container and a straw, plus a paper cup if I wanted.  They said I had to leave some amount in there.  I almost drank too much both times.  Cool

     

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,796 Member
    NewHere said:

    Ask For The Good Stuff

    The things I had to drink for my two recent scans (one being a PET/CT and one a CT, two different days) was rasberry flavored and not horrific.  It is called OmniPlaque .  Sort of like Kool-Aid or Hi-C.  Ask for it chilled, they gave me a choice and I think the warm would not have been as good.  (Though both tests were prior to chemo starting, and the chill may not work as well during chemo, could take forever to drink ;) )  There was a lot to drink, but in terms of taste, tolerable.  I am pretty good none picky eater and drinker, so that may also be a factor ;)  

     Not quite sure why mine seems so different in terms of the drink aspect..

    Not me.

    I don't like the taste at all. I mean, its not horrific, but its not good. I drink mine over a three hour period, and by the end, I'm having to force it down. 

    What I do now, is every time I take a drink, I raise my cup of goop and say the name of someone from the forum who has passed away. I bet they would love to still be alive to drink the nasty goop, and I don't need to be whining. It works! I am grateful that I can have the goop and the scan and I'm grateful to be alive. 

    Sue - Trubrit