Question 1

calcified nodule on thyroid - slow growing. not metabolically active on pet/ct however only 7mm so would pet scan detect? does this rule out cancer?

Accepted Answer

NO  , Best option: Is image guided fna  ( fine needle aspiration )  biopsy speak to your doctor

Question 2

had an mri of a lung nodule that is non calcified ... slow growing since 2001... 9mm... radiologist made diagnoses of it being benign . how can he make such a diagnoses without truly knowing isn't a ct pet scan better to show or even a biopsy?

Accepted Answer

None of the above: Kind of confusing story. We don't usually do an MRI of the lung to get that answer. Was it a ct scan? There are only three ways we can prove a nodule is benign, each with its pluses and minuses. One is a clear radiographic appearance (calcium or fat within the nodule), two is to demonstrate the absence of growth over sufficient time, and three is take it out.

Question 3

a ct did not show the presence of cancer but a pet scan with contrast did. why is this when they were looking for cancer within the pancreas?

Accepted Answer

Complementary: CT and PET are complementary and are usually used in conjunction with each other. Not uncommonly, a finding on a CT or on a PET will not be seen on the other study. Sometimes, I am asked to biopsy something only seen on PET that I have to guesstimate on the CT scan - using anatomic landmarks - because it is not visible on the CT. That's the challenge of imaging and why your radiologist is valuable

Question 4

radiology - in sclc is the primary tumor normally difficult to see on a ct scan?  heard that often only spread to nodes can be seen. pet scan better?

Accepted Answer

Small Cell Lung Ca: SCLC does metastasize early, often to nodes, which are often the presenting finding. Usu. the primary tumor is small even though symptoms have occurred.
  CT has very high resolution so it has the best chance to find it, esp. if pt. has been followed with serial screening CTs based on risk factors like smoking history.
  PET is useful to find mets, but not a small primary.

Question 5

had testicle cancer, last jan, had ct jan, feb & pet scan mar, all good, had one i;n dec, now want another isn't that a little soon, lot of radiation?

Accepted Answer

Doc&#x27;s advice is best: An early repeat scan makes me wonder if the December scan found something that your doctor wants to recheck soon. Ask her! Any risk from radiation with PET scans is trivial compared with the health risk of delayed detection and treatment in the event your cancer recurs. Your doctor wouldn&#x27;t have recommended the scans otherwise. Follow his or her advice.

Question 6

how do a pet scan and a ct scan  differ?

Accepted Answer

Anatomic/physiologic: Pet scan involves intravenous injection of radio tracer usually f18 fdg.Imaging of whole body occurs for localization of areas of increased glucose metabolism. Malignant tumors usually most active.Ct scan involves x-ray and performs anatomic imaging of parts of body usually head, chest, abdomen, pelvis, or extremities. Pet?Ct combines imaging modalities for anatomic localization of areas of uptake.

Question 7

can hypothyroidism be caused by to many pet scans and ct scans?

Accepted Answer

Very unlikely: You need to talk with your own md about this . It would take a lot of scans ..

Question 8

which test exposes patients to more radiation? is it pet scan or ct scan?

Accepted Answer

It depends: on the technical parameters of the scans, particularly the CT scan. The exposure from the CT scan could potentially be more, about the same, or lass than a PET scan.

Question 9

what makes a pet scan more valuable in information, than a ct with contrast, when viewing a cancerous tumor?

Accepted Answer

Better images: In very general terms: Cancers use glucose (sugar) faster than normal tissue. PET imaging provides diagnostic information based on increased glucose uptake.  So it is a "functional" type of scan where CT is a "structure" type scan.  When the two are superimposed, it will show  tissues that are more metabolically active (i.e.: which tissue is more likely cancerous).

Question 10

am asking for a pet scan post chemo cycle since the earlier ct never picked up the larger tumor at all. surgery did.(?)

Accepted Answer

PET scan is better: A pet scan can pick up tumors which are not seen with other tests. But even PET scan requires cancer size to be about 1cm or larger. it will not pick up tiny tumor (Microscopic cells)

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Doctor answers about:

Ct versus pet scan for pericardial calcification

A member asked:

Calcified nodule on thyroid - slow growing. not metabolically active on pet/ct however only 7mm so would pet scan detect? does this rule out cancer?

A member asked:

Had an mri of a lung nodule that is non calcified ... slow growing since 2001... 9mm... radiologist made diagnoses of it being benign . how can he make such a diagnoses without truly knowing isn't a ct pet scan better to show or even a biopsy?

A member asked:

A ct did not show the presence of cancer but a pet scan with contrast did. why is this when they were looking for cancer within the pancreas?

A member asked:

Radiology - in sclc is the primary tumor normally difficult to see on a ct scan? heard that often only spread to nodes can be seen. pet scan better?

A member asked:

Had testicle cancer, last jan, had ct jan, feb & pet scan mar, all good, had one i;n dec, now want another isn't that a little soon, lot of radiation?

A member asked:

How do a pet scan and a ct scan differ?

A member asked:

Can hypothyroidism be caused by to many pet scans and ct scans?

A member asked:

Which test exposes patients to more radiation? is it pet scan or ct scan?

A member asked:

What makes a pet scan more valuable in information, than a ct with contrast, when viewing a cancerous tumor?

A member asked:

Am asking for a pet scan post chemo cycle since the earlier ct never picked up the larger tumor at all. surgery did.(?)

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