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PET Scan Questions
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PET Scan Questions

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › PET Scan Questions

  • Post
    • May 4, 2014 at 12:32 pm
    rgrand
    Participant

      I will ask my Oncologist next week, but I was wondering about a couple of questions that those who have been through it might know the answers to already.

      1. Does the PET scan imaging target melanoma specific mets, or does any form of cancer show up on the imaging if even unrelated to the melanoma?

      2. Has anyone ever received a visual image from their PET scan? It was a $1030 copay for mine. Seems like it might be cool to have a snapshot of the torso and head area to use as a cool, colorful portrait. Not quite a selfie, but close!

    Viewing 5 reply threads
    • Replies
        • May 4, 2014 at 1:53 pm
        Richard_K
        Participant

          1. PET scan is not target specific to melanoma.  In addition to my melanoma, my prostate lit up leading to a prostate biopsy and prostate cancer diagnosis.

          2. While I have not asked for a visual image, I have asked for my own copy of the images on CD.

          hope this helps, and good luck to you.

          • May 4, 2014 at 1:53 pm
          Richard_K
          Participant

            1. PET scan is not target specific to melanoma.  In addition to my melanoma, my prostate lit up leading to a prostate biopsy and prostate cancer diagnosis.

            2. While I have not asked for a visual image, I have asked for my own copy of the images on CD.

            hope this helps, and good luck to you.

              • May 4, 2014 at 4:59 pm
              rgrand
              Participant

                Dick,

                Thank you. That does help. Your profile and history are remarkable and inspirational!!!

                I believe I will ask my doctor if I can have the images on CD of my scan as well.

                 

                • May 4, 2014 at 11:42 pm
                hbecker
                Participant

                  We have copies of all my husband's scans. We ask for them at the hospital or clinic when they are done, and we don't leave without them. Well … one time we had a delay, and we came back a few days later and picked it up.

                  I keep a plastic portfolio/folder with all the medical records, test results, scans, etc. We take it with us every time he has an appointment. Sometimes we have been able to save everyone time and get answers more quickly because of that.

                  Another reason to get copies is that sometimes the scans will turn up other medical conditions. In my husband's case the continuing CT scans turned up thickening of an artery coming from the heart. He took the disks to the cardiologist so she could look at the progression.

                  We have looked at the CT scans with the oncologist, and he has showed us what he is watching. Pretty cool to look at! But we've never printed the images out ourselves.

                   

                  • May 4, 2014 at 11:42 pm
                  hbecker
                  Participant

                    We have copies of all my husband's scans. We ask for them at the hospital or clinic when they are done, and we don't leave without them. Well … one time we had a delay, and we came back a few days later and picked it up.

                    I keep a plastic portfolio/folder with all the medical records, test results, scans, etc. We take it with us every time he has an appointment. Sometimes we have been able to save everyone time and get answers more quickly because of that.

                    Another reason to get copies is that sometimes the scans will turn up other medical conditions. In my husband's case the continuing CT scans turned up thickening of an artery coming from the heart. He took the disks to the cardiologist so she could look at the progression.

                    We have looked at the CT scans with the oncologist, and he has showed us what he is watching. Pretty cool to look at! But we've never printed the images out ourselves.

                     

                    • May 4, 2014 at 11:42 pm
                    hbecker
                    Participant

                      We have copies of all my husband's scans. We ask for them at the hospital or clinic when they are done, and we don't leave without them. Well … one time we had a delay, and we came back a few days later and picked it up.

                      I keep a plastic portfolio/folder with all the medical records, test results, scans, etc. We take it with us every time he has an appointment. Sometimes we have been able to save everyone time and get answers more quickly because of that.

                      Another reason to get copies is that sometimes the scans will turn up other medical conditions. In my husband's case the continuing CT scans turned up thickening of an artery coming from the heart. He took the disks to the cardiologist so she could look at the progression.

                      We have looked at the CT scans with the oncologist, and he has showed us what he is watching. Pretty cool to look at! But we've never printed the images out ourselves.

                       

                      • May 4, 2014 at 4:59 pm
                      rgrand
                      Participant

                        Dick,

                        Thank you. That does help. Your profile and history are remarkable and inspirational!!!

                        I believe I will ask my doctor if I can have the images on CD of my scan as well.

                         

                        • May 4, 2014 at 4:59 pm
                        rgrand
                        Participant

                          Dick,

                          Thank you. That does help. Your profile and history are remarkable and inspirational!!!

                          I believe I will ask my doctor if I can have the images on CD of my scan as well.

                           

                        • May 4, 2014 at 1:53 pm
                        Richard_K
                        Participant

                          1. PET scan is not target specific to melanoma.  In addition to my melanoma, my prostate lit up leading to a prostate biopsy and prostate cancer diagnosis.

                          2. While I have not asked for a visual image, I have asked for my own copy of the images on CD.

                          hope this helps, and good luck to you.

                          • May 4, 2014 at 10:22 pm
                          Janner
                          Participant

                            PET scans show metabolic uptake.  Arthritis can show on PET scans, trauma can show on PET scans.  Other things (underfined) might show up as well.  Basically, they inject a radioactive sugar and anywhere the sugar is shown in high concentrations will show up on a PET.  PETs are notorious for false positives for this reason alone.  That's why they are often combined with a CT.  The CT can rule out arthritis/trauma. PET scans do not show microscopic disease.  A tumor needs to be somewhere in the 5mm+ before it would show up on the scan.  PET scans won't show melanoma running around in the lymph system or blood vessels.  It's a tool along with other tools.

                              • May 5, 2014 at 1:50 am
                              rgrand
                              Participant

                                It was my understanding from talking to the techs that a CT scan (lower resolution) would also be done simultaneously but its only purpose was to be able to overlay the PET information to give the doctors context of the PET scan in relation to the information revealed through the CT scan should so etching show up on the PET scan.

                                • May 5, 2014 at 1:50 am
                                rgrand
                                Participant

                                  It was my understanding from talking to the techs that a CT scan (lower resolution) would also be done simultaneously but its only purpose was to be able to overlay the PET information to give the doctors context of the PET scan in relation to the information revealed through the CT scan should so etching show up on the PET scan.

                                  • May 5, 2014 at 1:53 am
                                  rgrand
                                  Participant

                                    That should be "something" and not "so etching"! DYAC!!'

                                    Is there a way of editing posts in this forum?

                                    • May 5, 2014 at 1:53 am
                                    rgrand
                                    Participant

                                      That should be "something" and not "so etching"! DYAC!!'

                                      Is there a way of editing posts in this forum?

                                      • May 5, 2014 at 1:53 am
                                      rgrand
                                      Participant

                                        That should be "something" and not "so etching"! DYAC!!'

                                        Is there a way of editing posts in this forum?

                                        • May 5, 2014 at 1:50 am
                                        rgrand
                                        Participant

                                          It was my understanding from talking to the techs that a CT scan (lower resolution) would also be done simultaneously but its only purpose was to be able to overlay the PET information to give the doctors context of the PET scan in relation to the information revealed through the CT scan should so etching show up on the PET scan.

                                        • May 4, 2014 at 10:22 pm
                                        Janner
                                        Participant

                                          PET scans show metabolic uptake.  Arthritis can show on PET scans, trauma can show on PET scans.  Other things (underfined) might show up as well.  Basically, they inject a radioactive sugar and anywhere the sugar is shown in high concentrations will show up on a PET.  PETs are notorious for false positives for this reason alone.  That's why they are often combined with a CT.  The CT can rule out arthritis/trauma. PET scans do not show microscopic disease.  A tumor needs to be somewhere in the 5mm+ before it would show up on the scan.  PET scans won't show melanoma running around in the lymph system or blood vessels.  It's a tool along with other tools.

                                          • May 4, 2014 at 10:22 pm
                                          Janner
                                          Participant

                                            PET scans show metabolic uptake.  Arthritis can show on PET scans, trauma can show on PET scans.  Other things (underfined) might show up as well.  Basically, they inject a radioactive sugar and anywhere the sugar is shown in high concentrations will show up on a PET.  PETs are notorious for false positives for this reason alone.  That's why they are often combined with a CT.  The CT can rule out arthritis/trauma. PET scans do not show microscopic disease.  A tumor needs to be somewhere in the 5mm+ before it would show up on the scan.  PET scans won't show melanoma running around in the lymph system or blood vessels.  It's a tool along with other tools.

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