What diagnostic test should I request?

Thatgirl

Since my dx, I've had a MRI of my breasts. After reading so many threads I'm wondering if I should request others to be done. Do I need the following?



Bone scan

CT scan

Pet scan

Full body MRI

Other

lago

I had a bone scan, CT scan of liver (and some other organs but not sure which) chest x-ray, breast MRI all before chemo. I had a very large aggressive tumor. If I had mets they would have done chemo before surgery. I don't think they do all these tests except for the chest x-ray and breast MRI before surgery unless you have mets. I had time so my BS ordered it. I don't think that's typical though.

Nothing wrong with discussing this with your onc.

Thatgirl

iDC, stage 1, <1cm, 0/3 nodes , er+

Thatgirl

How do they determine mets?

suzieq60

I had a chest XRay before surgery and a bone scan and CT scan after surgery. Also bone denisty test seeing I would be taking Arimidex. Also a heart echo before starting chemo. They don't seem to do any follow up scans unless you present with symptoms. I asked a Stage IV friend how they found her mets and she said she had terrible pain in her upper arm which led them to do more scans.

The scans I had before starting chemo were to check for any existing mets. After treatment seems like we're on our own.

Letlet

I had a ct of the chest/abd/pelvis prior to chemo. I had complained of neck pain so my doc ordered a bone scan. No other scans for me because my docs said they were not necessary. If my ct's had picked up something i would be ordered a PET scan but all my scans were negative.