Annual Pet Scan for Stage 1

Wow. Is that true?? I have been pet scanned every three months for  two and a half years. X rayed and ct scanned and MRI d. My doctors said there is more radiation on an international flight!! (Which I do as well!!)

Wow. Is that true?? I have been pet scanned every three months for  two and a half years. X rayed and ct scanned and MRI d. My doctors said there is more radiation on an international flight!! (Which I do as well!!)

True for stage 1. Later stages, like 3 & 4, you get scanned every 3 months and then it lowers to every six months at some point, depending on where you get treated. The benefit for late stages to get scanned frequently and catch recurrance or progression outweighs the risk of scanning. It is not neccessary for low stages, as they have a much higher liklihood of never having it metastisize, so it's unnecessary exposure to get scanned more than one time, unless something clinically comes up that gives suspicion and needs further investigating with a scan. 

True for stage 1. Later stages, like 3 & 4, you get scanned every 3 months and then it lowers to every six months at some point, depending on where you get treated. The benefit for late stages to get scanned frequently and catch recurrance or progression outweighs the risk of scanning. It is not neccessary for low stages, as they have a much higher liklihood of never having it metastisize, so it's unnecessary exposure to get scanned more than one time, unless something clinically comes up that gives suspicion and needs further investigating with a scan. 

True for stage 1. Later stages, like 3 & 4, you get scanned every 3 months and then it lowers to every six months at some point, depending on where you get treated. The benefit for late stages to get scanned frequently and catch recurrance or progression outweighs the risk of scanning. It is not neccessary for low stages, as they have a much higher liklihood of never having it metastisize, so it's unnecessary exposure to get scanned more than one time, unless something clinically comes up that gives suspicion and needs further investigating with a scan. 

Wow. Is that true?? I have been pet scanned every three months for  two and a half years. X rayed and ct scanned and MRI d. My doctors said there is more radiation on an international flight!! (Which I do as well!!)

Different doctors have different opinions and philosophies. Scanning you without clinical reason is far beyond standard of care. It's up to you if you want to subject yourself to more radiation, but in reality, you really don't need to. Most insurance companies won't approve it, due to it not being the standard of care, and insurance companies sure don't like to pay for things that they don't need to pay for (insurance can be a pain in the butt just to get them to pay for the things that ARE standard). In this case, they have good reason not to pay for any scan unless your doctor had reason to suspect an internal spread.

Different doctors have different opinions and philosophies. Scanning you without clinical reason is far beyond standard of care. It's up to you if you want to subject yourself to more radiation, but in reality, you really don't need to. Most insurance companies won't approve it, due to it not being the standard of care, and insurance companies sure don't like to pay for things that they don't need to pay for (insurance can be a pain in the butt just to get them to pay for the things that ARE standard). In this case, they have good reason not to pay for any scan unless your doctor had reason to suspect an internal spread.

Different doctors have different opinions and philosophies. Scanning you without clinical reason is far beyond standard of care. It's up to you if you want to subject yourself to more radiation, but in reality, you really don't need to. Most insurance companies won't approve it, due to it not being the standard of care, and insurance companies sure don't like to pay for things that they don't need to pay for (insurance can be a pain in the butt just to get them to pay for the things that ARE standard). In this case, they have good reason not to pay for any scan unless your doctor had reason to suspect an internal spread.

I think it is overkill and insurance is unlikely to pay – and for good reason.  There are no protocols for stage 1 that include ANY scans, even at diagnosis.  (Some institutions don't regularly scan stage 3 or 4 unless there are symptoms).  If he wants to scan, suggest a chest x-ray.  Much cheaper and much less radiation and insurance will likely cover.  Chest X-rays are done by some docs for stage 1 even if it is only a baseline X-ray.  The only way insurance would cover this is if he justifies this by saying you have symptoms of something.  Most deductibles are high and you would be paying for it unless some other medical condition justifies that first.  I don't care how good he is, he is not following the norm that all other stage 1 warriors follow.  You can choose to do what you want either way – this is your call and no one else's including your doc- but understand that the only stage 1s who really get PET scans (at any time) are if they have symptoms and it's suspected they have progressed to a more advanced stage.  Even then, a PET scan might not be the first step.

I think it is overkill and insurance is unlikely to pay – and for good reason.  There are no protocols for stage 1 that include ANY scans, even at diagnosis.  (Some institutions don't regularly scan stage 3 or 4 unless there are symptoms).  If he wants to scan, suggest a chest x-ray.  Much cheaper and much less radiation and insurance will likely cover.  Chest X-rays are done by some docs for stage 1 even if it is only a baseline X-ray.  The only way insurance would cover this is if he justifies this by saying you have symptoms of something.  Most deductibles are high and you would be paying for it unless some other medical condition justifies that first.  I don't care how good he is, he is not following the norm that all other stage 1 warriors follow.  You can choose to do what you want either way – this is your call and no one else's including your doc- but understand that the only stage 1s who really get PET scans (at any time) are if they have symptoms and it's suspected they have progressed to a more advanced stage.  Even then, a PET scan might not be the first step.

I think it is overkill and insurance is unlikely to pay – and for good reason.  There are no protocols for stage 1 that include ANY scans, even at diagnosis.  (Some institutions don't regularly scan stage 3 or 4 unless there are symptoms).  If he wants to scan, suggest a chest x-ray.  Much cheaper and much less radiation and insurance will likely cover.  Chest X-rays are done by some docs for stage 1 even if it is only a baseline X-ray.  The only way insurance would cover this is if he justifies this by saying you have symptoms of something.  Most deductibles are high and you would be paying for it unless some other medical condition justifies that first.  I don't care how good he is, he is not following the norm that all other stage 1 warriors follow.  You can choose to do what you want either way – this is your call and no one else's including your doc- but understand that the only stage 1s who really get PET scans (at any time) are if they have symptoms and it's suspected they have progressed to a more advanced stage.  Even then, a PET scan might not be the first step.