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PET scan doesn’t show brain?
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PET scan doesn’t show brain?

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › PET scan doesn’t show brain?

  • Post
    • February 18, 2020 at 4:02 pm
    Tsvetochka
    Participant
      I just had a full body PET CT scan with contrast. Now my doctor wants me to have an MRI to check my brain. Wouldn’t that have been on the PET scan? I could see my head in the images I sent on to the doctor. The write up starts with “Head and neck.” Is that not enough?
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    • Replies
        • February 18, 2020 at 5:49 pm
        Edwin
        Participant
          The brain always shows active in PET scans. So, a PET scan can not show brain cancer.
          • February 18, 2020 at 11:11 pm
          doragsda
          Participant
            The PET scan shows metabolic activity, and the brain has a LOT of metabolic activity, so lights up everywhere with a PET scan and is of little use in detecting metastases to the brain. The MRI is the study of choice for evaluating the brain.
            • February 19, 2020 at 1:15 am
            JudiAU
            Participant
              Yes, as everyone said, the brain needs separate scan because the PER is not reliable.
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