PET Scan after Chemo Could Avoid Need for Radiotherapy
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy or radiotherapy, often abbreviated RT, RTx, or XRT, is therapy using ionizing radiation, generally as part of cancer treatment to control or kill malignant cells and normally delivered by a linear accelerator. Radiation therapy may be curative in a number o…
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How long after radiation did you get a PET scan?
My doctor recommended that i should get a Pet scan 3 months after the end of radiation, which I did and another scan 3 months after that! In reply to @becsbuddy "@spooz2 You sound a bit anxious.
Should I have a PET scan after chemoradiation?
My general philosophy is that PET scans can be so sensitive but non-specific, especially after chemoradiation with or without surgery for stage III NSCLC, that changes in the absence of CT findings can too often be an anxiety-laden wild goose chase.
Are PET scans necessary for cancer treatment?
PET and PET-CT scans usually don’t help people who have completed cancer treatments and don’t have symptoms. For most cancers, these tests don’t help you live longer or with a better quality of life. If you are scanned without a good reason, it can lead to anxiety, wrong diagnoses, false alarms, unnecessary procedures, and more costs.
How can we reduce the amount of radiation from PET/CT scans?
Major reductions in radiation doses from PET/CT scans can be achieved by modifying the acquisition parameters for CT. Conventional radiographic examinations such as chest, abdominal and bone X-rays also give a radiation dose but only a fraction of that resulting from a CT examination.
What is a PET scan?
How much does a PET scan cost?
How to know if you have cancer?
How to get rid of breast cancer?
What happens if you are scanned without a reason?
Do you need a PET scan for cancer?
Can a PET scan help with cancer?
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Why do I need a PET scan after chemo?
A PET or PET-CT scan may be helpful if your doctor suspects your cancer has returned, based on your symptoms, a physical exam, or other tests. A scan may also be recommended if you were treated for advanced cancer and your doctor needs to find out if your most recent treatment was effective.
How long after last chemo should PET scan be done?
The appropriate timing of the PET/CT study for maximum accuracy is important. To avoid false-positive, results, the best time to perform a PET/CT study is 8-12 weeks after completion of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Postoperative inflammatory changes are seen till about 12 weeks or, at times, longer.
Why do PET scans use radiation?
The PET scan uses a radioactive drug (tracer) to show both normal and abnormal metabolic activity. A PET scan can often detect the abnormal metabolism of the tracer in diseases before the disease shows up on other imaging tests, such as computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
Why do cancer patients need PET scans?
PET scans are most commonly used to detect: Cancer-Cancer cells have a higher metabolic rate than non-cancerous cells. Because of this high level of chemical activity, cancer cells show up as bright spots on PET scans. For this reason, PET scans are useful for detecting new or recurrent cancers.
How radioactive Are you after a PET scan?
You will not be radioactive after a CT scan. With a PET or a PET/CT scan, you will give off very low levels of radiation for around 6 hours afterwards. As a precaution, you should avoid being close to women who are pregnant during this time.
What scans are done after chemo?
Your doctor will watch you closely for many years to check for a possible return of the cancer. To be extra sure, some doctors will order imaging tests, known as PET scans. They are often combined with CT scans. These scans take pictures of your body where cancer might be growing.
How many PET scans are safe?
"With the CMS requirement that there be no more than three PET/CT scans covered after the first line of treatment, that's looking at it in a depersonalized way that may be harmful to patients on an individualized basis," Copeland says.
What type of radiation is used in PET scans?
The radioactive substance most commonly used in PET scanning is a simple sugar (like glucose) called FDG, which stands for “fluorodeoxyglucose”. It is injected into the bloodstream and accumulates in the body where it gives off energy in the form of gamma rays.
Are PET scans safe?
In general, PET scans are safe and rarely cause problems. Exceptions include: Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not get PET scans. The radiation may be harmful to an unborn baby and can pass to an infant in breast milk.
Will PET scan detect all cancers?
Not all cancers show up on a PET scan. PET scan results are often used with other imaging and lab test results. Other tests are often needed to find out whether an area that collected a lot of radioactive material is non-cancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant).
Is no news good news after a PET scan?
If you have had a recent scan, blood test or other kind of medical investigation, the best policy to adopt is “no news is bad news”.
How long does chemo take to shrink a tumor?
In general, chemotherapy can take about 3 to 6 months to complete. It may take more or less time, depending on the type of chemo and the stage of your condition.
How often do you have a PET SCAN? I have grown to like the scan since ...
How often do you have a PET SCAN? I have grown to like the scan since it shows what's happening. But they don't seem to want to do one very often. I think 6 months is too long to wait, lots can happen or grow in 6 months! How long do you have to wait?
What is the best time to do a PET/ CT scan after the last Radiation ...
can someone tell me what is the best time two months three months ,six months, Myself i did a CT scan 8 week post treatment, and their was a residual tumor of 30mm by 27mm ON MY LEFT PNS, should i resume treatment or wait few more months.
Warning about followup PET scan after radiation - Lung cancer
The American Lung Association connects patients, families, friends and caregivers for support and inspiration as they face lung cancer. Here members can share stories, find important information and learn from the experiences of others like themselves.
I would like a PET or body scan done,my oncologist says "No,they wait ...
Hey there my mom is a breast cancer survivor and they did regular PET scans throughout her treatment but every doctor is different. I can look up statistics for you, if you need anything please let me know, feel free to view my journey if you want..I talk about my mom's journey.
How long to wait in between scans - HealingWell
I'm a little confused about what you're asking. Perhaps if you could include a signature, describe your current situation, and why you are interested in getting scans done (i.e., what is the treatment decision you are trying to support).
Why do we need a PET scan?
PET Scans for Follow-up of Patients After Surgery or Chemo/Radiation. We know PET scans can provide additional metabolic information that can be more sensitive and specific for cancer than chest x-rays and even CT scans in the initial staging of lung cancer (see prior post on introduction to PET scans ). PET scans are now nearly universally ...
What is PET scan?
Unlike CT scans, which are great at discerning shape and size of internal parts of the body, PET scans are metabolic studies that hold the promise of distinguishing between residual viable cancer and non-viable scar tissue after surgery or radiation.
Can PET scans improve cancer?
The concept that PET scans will improve our ability to detect curable recurrences or new cancers hasn’t yet been supported by any evidence of better survival or quality of life in patients. In the face of such a confusing situation, there’s a lot of variability in what oncologists actually do.
Is a PET scan considered a stage IV?
PET scans are now nearly universally employed in the initial workup, at least of patients who have NSCLC and aren’t already known to have stage IV disease.
Can PET scans be sensitive?
My general philosophy is that PET scans can be so sensitive but non-specific, especially after chemoradiation with or without surgery for stage III NSCLC, that changes in the absence of CT findings can too often be an anxiety-laden wild goose chase.
What is a PET scan?
A PET or PET-CT scan may be helpful if your doctor suspects your cancer has returned, based on your symptoms, a physical exam, or other tests. A scan may also be recommended if you were treated for advanced cancer and your doctor needs to find out if your most recent treatment was effective.
How much does a PET scan cost?
The tests are expensive. A PET-CT scan can cost $5,000 or more, according to one U.S. medical center. That does not include the cost of added tests and procedures due to false alarms. Some insurance plans do not pay for routine (surveillance) PET scans in a healthy patient who has completed cancer treatment.
How to know if you have cancer?
Often, there are better ways to keep track of your condition: 1 Be aware of symptoms that could mean cancer has returned. 2 Get regular checkups that include a medical history and physical exam. 3 For some cancers, there are simple tests you should get, such as mammograms for women who have been treated for breast cancer. 4 Ask your doctor which test, if any, is right for your situation.
How to get rid of breast cancer?
Get regular checkups that include a medical history and physical exam. For some cancers, there are simple tests you should get, such as mammograms for women who have been treated for breast cancer. Ask your doctor which test, if any, is right for your situation.
What happens if you are scanned without a reason?
If you are scanned without a good reason, it can lead to anxiety, wrong diagnoses, false alarms, unnecessary procedures, and more costs. Often, there are better ways to keep track of your condition: Be aware of symptoms that could mean cancer has returned.
Do you need a PET scan for cancer?
Your doctor will watch you closely for many years to check for a possible return of the cancer. To be extra sure, some doctors will order imaging tests, known as PET scans. They are often combined with CT scans. These scans take pictures of your body where cancer might be growing. But you may not need the tests.
Can a PET scan help with cancer?
PET and PET-CT scans usually don’t help people who have completed cancer treatments and don’t have symptoms. For most cancers, these tests don’t help you live longer or with a better quality of life.
What is a PET scan?
PET or PET-CT scan may be helpful if your doctor suspects your cancer has returned, based on your symptoms, a physical exam, or other tests. A scan may also be recommended if you were treated for advanced cancer and your doctor needs to find out if your most recent treatment was effective.
How much does a PET scan cost?
PET-CT scan can cost $5,000 or more, according to one U.S. medical center. That does not include the cost of added tests and procedures due to false alarms. Some insurance plans do not pay for routine (surveillance) PET scans in a healthy patient who has completed cancer treatment.
Can a PET scan help with cancer?
Having PET and PET-CT scans can add to your stress as a cancer survivor. These tests often find health problems that are not serious. This may lead to more tests and procedures, including follow-up scans, and even biopsies and surgery.
What is a PET scan for cancer?
Updated on May 12, 2021. A PET (positron emission tomography) scan is a type of imaging test that uses radioactive glucose (radiotracer or radioactive tracer) to detect where cancer cells may be located in the body. Since cancer cells intake more glucose than normal cells, injecting glucose into a vein and viewing the computerized image on ...
Why do we need a PET scan?
If a cancer diagnosis is given , PET scans may be recommended throughout treatment to see that treatment it is working and to assess the likely outcome of the disease. After cancer treatment, PET scans can be used to check for cancer recurrence.
Why do we use PET and CT scans together?
Since PET and CT scans used together provide the best picture of cancerous tissue, they are used in almost all PET scans today. This way the areas where unhealthy tissue exists and the anatomical 3D pictures of these areas are able to be examined. 4
What is the purpose of a PET scan?
PET scans can be used to determine how much cancer is in a person's body and how far the cancer has spread, which is called staging. Since PET scans can detect more cancerous sites than CT scans alone, they are often used in the initial staging and follow-up testing to see if and how the cancer is spreading. PET scan results may lead ...
What imaging is used to detect cancer?
Other imaging tests, such as CT and MRI scans, are often done in combination with PET scans. CT scans and MRIs can provide more information on cancerous (malignant) tumors and lesions. Which test is used can depend on the organs the doctor wants to examine.
How does MRI show cancer?
MRIs use magnets and radio waves to show slices of soft tissue, creating images that show where unhealthy tissue is located. An injection of contrast liquid may be given to show the tumors as a different, bright color in the images. MRI helps doctors locate and possibly determine whether a tumor is cancerous or noncancerous. 5
What do you do after a PET scan?
After a PET scan is complete, a radiologist or doctor trained in nuclear medicine will go over the results and send the information they find to your doctor. PET scans help to guide treatment by providing information on where the cancer is located and how far it has spread, as well as if a particular cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy, is working. If cancer returns or spreads to other parts of the body, PET scans can reveal that too.
What is a PET/CT test?
A PET/CT test has two components: a PET scan and a CT, which are done together. The radiation exposure from CT has a very wide range depending on the type of the test, the area of the body scanned and the purpose of the test. In its simplest form, a CT scan is used only for the localization of abnormalities seen on a PET scan (non-diagnostic scan).
How much radiation is needed for a whole body CT scan?
an effective dose of about 7 mSv for a whole body study). However, the effective dose from a high resolution diagnostic scan can be quite high (up to 30 mSv for a whole body CT scan).
Does chest X-ray give radiation?
Conventional radiographic examinations such as chest, abdominal and bone X-rays also give a radiation dose but only a fraction of that resulting from a CT examination. Examinations such as ultrasonography and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging do not involve exposure to ionizing radiation.
Is radiation cumulative?
Yes. Radiation effects are known to be cumulative in nature. However, the repair mechanisms in the body are quite active and spacing the procedures with suitable time intervals helps reduce radiation effects, as is done in radiotherapy.
Can a PET scan show diabetes?
No. Although a small amount of radioactive glucose is injected for the PET examination, this will not affect the diabetes. It is important, however, that the PET imaging team is aware of the patient’s diabetes. This ensures that the best results can be achieved from the scan and unnecessary radiation dose is avoided.
What is a PET scan?
A PET or PET-CT scan may be helpful if your doctor suspects your cancer has returned, based on your symptoms, a physical exam, or other tests. A scan may also be recommended if you were treated for advanced cancer and your doctor needs to find out if your most recent treatment was effective.
How much does a PET scan cost?
The tests are expensive. A PET-CT scan can cost $5,000 or more, according to one U.S. medical center. That does not include the cost of added tests and procedures due to false alarms. Some insurance plans do not pay for routine (surveillance) PET scans in a healthy patient who has completed cancer treatment.
How to know if you have cancer?
Often, there are better ways to keep track of your condition: 1 Be aware of symptoms that could mean cancer has returned. 2 Get regular checkups that include a medical history and physical exam. 3 For some cancers, there are simple tests you should get, such as mammograms for women who have been treated for breast cancer. 4 Ask your doctor which test, if any, is right for your situation.
How to get rid of breast cancer?
Get regular checkups that include a medical history and physical exam. For some cancers, there are simple tests you should get, such as mammograms for women who have been treated for breast cancer. Ask your doctor which test, if any, is right for your situation.
What happens if you are scanned without a reason?
If you are scanned without a good reason, it can lead to anxiety, wrong diagnoses, false alarms, unnecessary procedures, and more costs. Often, there are better ways to keep track of your condition: Be aware of symptoms that could mean cancer has returned.
Do you need a PET scan for cancer?
Your doctor will watch you closely for many years to check for a possible return of the cancer. To be extra sure, some doctors will order imaging tests, known as PET scans. They are often combined with CT scans. These scans take pictures of your body where cancer might be growing. But you may not need the tests.
Can a PET scan help with cancer?
PET and PET-CT scans usually don’t help people who have completed cancer treatments and don’t have symptoms. For most cancers, these tests don’t help you live longer or with a better quality of life.