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edification ask

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  • Post
    • August 31, 2021 at 10:07 pm
    tkoss
    Participant
      i go for a CT 8 months after my last infusion.

       

      they needed a Petscan to see which lymph nodes were involved.

       

      how can a CT scan discover current LN involvement?

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    • Replies
        • September 2, 2021 at 2:19 am
        QuietPoet
        Participant
          A CT and a PET scan are different.

          A CT scan, I would think — someone with more knowledge please correct me if I’m wrong — can only indicate masses and the like. PET scans indicate “energy activity” (i.e., it measures something that is active rather than static), so it could probably discover more accurately current LN involvement. This is because PET scans measure activity through what areas of the body consume the chemical.

          • September 3, 2021 at 1:48 am
          guynamedbilly
          Participant
            You can see lymph nodes on CT scans as well.  Pet scans are more expensive, so more often denied by insurance.  It’s my understanding that the Pet makes it easier to see generally what is going on internally, while the CT let’s you see specifically what is going on.  Meaning, it’s harder to miss something on a Pet scan.

            Not exactly an expert though, as my insurance hasn’t approved a pet scan since 2017.

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