PET/CT question?
 

This is a bit unusal but I can't find a answer to this doing a search on google. Does anyone here know if you have a PET/CT scan...can they JUST do the CT part of the test and NOT do the PET once in this machine? Or are they done at the SAME time?

I've had two PET/CT's before this last one and this time I picked up the CD and I can't find anything but the CT part of it on the disk? Plus I had questioned the Imaging Dept. as to why there was only a CT report? There was a PET report...but it only said "refer to CT", nothing else. The TWO PRIOR to this both had a detailed report & final impressions included. The PET part of the scan I was looking forward to more so then the CT part. But it seems to be missing on the CD and report?

Is it possible to of only ran a CT on me? Maybe they have problems and didn't tell me? (If anyone has any idea, please reply.)

Chelee

Chelee,

My oncologists orders PET/CT every 3 months for me and I have never gotten a CD. I always ask for a copy of the report but I'm told that it takes a day or two to read the results. The technician does the test and then all the images are given to the doctor to read. If you are not due to see your oncologist within a few days, then I'd call his/her office and ask for the results of the test and for some clarification.

Yes you can have just a CT scan done and not really notice the difference. Except when they order my PET/CT I have to drink this stuff that comes in different flavors (I had peach tea last time) at the clinic and then sit for an hour. They then inject you with with the tracer dye stuff and they always give me valium. For just the CT with contrast, I have to drink two bottles of this creamy liquid gross stuff that I take home with me and drink a few hours before my tests. If you look at the orders it should say PET/CT or just plain CT with contrast. My results have come back several different ways with PET/CT..sometimes there are 3 sheets breaking everything down from lung area to liver area. Then this time...all I got back was one sheet saying no sign of disease or mets. I think it depends on who is reading it and does the reporting. I never get a CD, didn't know they offered one...sherryg683

Oh I forgot, PET/CTs take a lot longer to do , you can be in and out of a CT/w contrast in 15 or 20 minutes...sherryg683

I've never had a PET (scan, that is) so I don't know, but if they have a different selection of gross stuff to drink, maybe I should ask for one!

I do always get a CD of the results, but I have to ask for it. I ask when I'm going in and they burn it for me before I leave. They never offered it to me, but I heard you could get one so I asked1

I still have to wait for the reports, but the main thing for me is that I have an actual physical copy of the scan.

I also get different kinds of things and levels of detail on the reports depending on who reads them.

The great news, Sherry, is that one page or three, you got another great report card:) Congratulations, Sherry!

I have gotten 3 CT scans (just love that Berry Delight!) and get my results a couple of days later over the phone and then talk to onc to evaluate what they said. Just had one last Friday and can't wait to hear the results this Friday. My tumor marker has gone up again (64 - 76) and my alkaline phosphatase is at 167, up from 158. I have a place on my kidney that has grown and appears suspect and a place on my thyroid. Anxious to find out if it is thyroid or parathyroid.

From my reading, the CT scan appears to be best for the results we need for me. I never thought of getting a CD. I'll ask if I can get all of them. Thank you for the information.
ma

I nearly puked Berry Delight up in the CT room the first time! That stuff is disgusting! That's why I like the PET/CT combo, no nasty stuff to drink! But I don't know if you can do it separately from that combo machine or not. Definitely worth asking!

Liz

Yes, the PET/CTs definately have the better drinks. I've had lemonade and peach tea so far and they taste just like the real stuff. That creamy stuff for the CT is gaggy, I always get the banana..lol..sherry

I thought most people had the *combo* PET/CT scan done these days. It seems Sherri & Liz have both had this PET/CT scan. For the ones that haven't...this machine does BOTH at once. This saves a person from going to have a PET scan...then seperately to have a CT. This is a TWO in one machine so to speak.

Your right Sherri, my orders were for a PET/CT. I did drink clear baruim first...then taken in the back to sit in the chair as they inject me with the radioactive dye & then you have to sit there for one hour with NO reading, moving, nothing. Then was put in the machine & they do what I thought was the PET part of the scan...then MID way through they stopped it & slide me out enough to inject contrast into an IV in my arm.

Its just THIS time the PET report says nothing unlike my PRIOR two PET/CT scans? All it said was refer to CT. The CT report was detailed. I was more interested in getting the PET part of my scan due to *increased uptake* they found in areas in the prior two PET's. I wanted to see if it was gone...unchanged...or what?

When I put the CD in my laptop I can ONLY find the CT part of scan. No PET images? So since they were missing on the CD...and the report said nothing...it made me think they ONLY ran a CT scan on this machine? But I did NOT know if it was even possible to run JUST a CT on this combo machine? (Strange?)
I called down there today & the head of the oncology Dept. thinks its strange too & is looking into it.
I just wanted the PET report after going through all that. But since the the PET wasn't on the CD...and the report was missing...Thats what made me think they MIGHT be able to have the machine JUST run a CT WITHOUT the PET if the wanted too? Thats what lead to my orignal question.


For you that did not know, you CAN request a copy of your PET/CT. They will gladly put in on a CD for you. All they ask is I give them a day or two in order to have it ready for me.

Chelee