HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Question about Dye Study for port placement

StephN · 09-27-2008, 01:33 PM

Your Mom's port probably has what they call an occlusion of fatty substance at the tip and it sort of acts like a little valve. Opening for infusions and closing for draws. That is what happened to me with my first port.

Nothing to a "dye study." You lie on the table in a 'gown' and the dye is injected into your port. There is a sort of "camera" called a flouroscope that is moved over your chest area and a monitor screen that you will probably be able to see. The doctor will be following the dye on the monitor and can discuss it with the patient.

You do not need any kind of premed or relaxant. At the end, just get up, get dressed, and off you go.

09-27-2008, 01:33 PM	#4
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Your Mom's port probably has what they call an occlusion of fatty substance at the tip and it sort of acts like a little valve. Opening for infusions and closing for draws. That is what happened to me with my first port. Nothing to a "dye study." You lie on the table in a 'gown' and the dye is injected into your port. There is a sort of "camera" called a flouroscope that is moved over your chest area and a monitor screen that you will probably be able to see. The doctor will be following the dye on the monitor and can discuss it with the patient. You do not need any kind of premed or relaxant. At the end, just get up, get dressed, and off you go. __________________ "When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau Live in the moment. MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~ Found suspicious lump 9/2000 Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR - Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds 36 rads - very little burning 3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED! 2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18 All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?) 2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava 2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec. Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011 STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer 7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED 2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED. Same news for 2016 and all of 2017. Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018.