CT scan and PETS scan

pippy1963

Would anyone know if I have gone for a CT scan of my Lung then one of my body is a PET scan just as good or better in detecting cancer cells. They found a mass in my lung which I have done a biopsy and the lung specialist says it's most likely cancer he wants a PET scan and an MRI of brain to make sure it hasn't spread. My oncologist believes it is breast cancer mets that has gone to my lung but we are waiting for the pathology report. So if nothing showed up on the CT scans other than lung would the PET scan show anything? Also the ct scan of my brain showed nothing would a MRI show more.? All this waiting is horrible I feel that the longer we wait the more the lung mass is growing. Now Im witing for an appointment for PET scan and MRI

Thank you

Pip

Cure-ious

Pippy, Others with a better understanding of scans will chime in, but when multiple scans are ordered, it is because they can show the situation in a different way. MRIs are the most sensitive, and many of us presumably would find out we have more mets than we realized it they were more commonly used, but they aren't because it would not change the treatment plans that much, I suppose. I know its scary, but try to view scans as a big benefit to you, telling you what is happening at the cellular level, before the mets get out of control and something awful happens. You may have been walking around blissfully unaware of the mets for quite some time before they were caught, so while the situation requires attention and action, it is not urgent, if that makes sense. with time, -deep breaths!-

pajim

Pippy, PET scans show fast-growing cells. The inject a radioactive sugar and the cancer cells (among others) take it up. You can see lesions before they get large enough to show on a CT scan.

CTs show abnormal 'stuff' whether it's fast or slow-growing. it's common to see lung nodules on CT that don't appear on a PET because they aren't cancer.

MRIs are common for the brain. I've never had a PET or CT of the brain. I know that MRIs are what you use. I don't know why.

But here's the thing. They only imaged your chest with that CT scan. So now they want to image the rest of your body. You want a complete picture (so to speak) of what's going on.

There's a good explanation of all the imaging modalities on the main breastcancer.org site.

AliceBastable

My MO said PET scans aren't used on the brain because the brain actually contains some sugar, and the scan wouldn't be able to differentiate between that and the injected sugar solution.