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08-10-2005, 01:22 PM

Kim & Steph --

So, would a scan (CT or PET) taken only once a year still be onsidered "overexposure"? Maybe once every 3 month might be too often?...

Steph, based on my own experiences, I think even oncs & rad docs have different opinions of which can make a difference in our scan schedule.

My brain met was picked up by a MRI (without symptoms), but my onc said because of the fact that the rad dept had submitted a recommendation that I was to have a follow-up MRI every 3 months for monitoring my met. She even told me that, if not for the recommendation, she still would've NOT gotten me the follow-up MRI's in the 1st place. So, ever since 2004, I've been taking brain MRI's every 3 months, I've had shown 2 mets (or 1 met?) that grew in the same spot.

First, I had gamma knife & we thought we had nailed it, so to treat the regrowth instead of repeat gamma knife, a craniotomy was our next step.

To date, I've had one clear MRI follow-up (since craniotomy). I see my onc this Thursday (tmw) to get results of my CT scan of my torso & brain MRI that both were taken last week.

Kim, having met Dr. Larson before, I'm not surprised that UCSF doesn't like to do WBR, unless either gamma knife or cyper knife would not be able to target at brain mets, especially multiple ones. They consider the WBR as the last resort. You know that WBR can be done only once in a lifetime.

Kim, have you done your gamma knife yet?

08-10-2005, 01:22 PM	#4
jojo Guest Posts: n/a	Kim & Steph -- So, would a scan (CT or PET) taken only once a year still be onsidered "overexposure"? Maybe once every 3 month might be too often?... Steph, based on my own experiences, I think even oncs & rad docs have different opinions of which can make a difference in our scan schedule. My brain met was picked up by a MRI (without symptoms), but my onc said because of the fact that the rad dept had submitted a recommendation that I was to have a follow-up MRI every 3 months for monitoring my met. She even told me that, if not for the recommendation, she still would've NOT gotten me the follow-up MRI's in the 1st place. So, ever since 2004, I've been taking brain MRI's every 3 months, I've had shown 2 mets (or 1 met?) that grew in the same spot. First, I had gamma knife & we thought we had nailed it, so to treat the regrowth instead of repeat gamma knife, a craniotomy was our next step. To date, I've had one clear MRI follow-up (since craniotomy). I see my onc this Thursday (tmw) to get results of my CT scan of my torso & brain MRI that both were taken last week. Kim, having met Dr. Larson before, I'm not surprised that UCSF doesn't like to do WBR, unless either gamma knife or cyper knife would not be able to target at brain mets, especially multiple ones. They consider the WBR as the last resort. You know that WBR can be done only once in a lifetime. Kim, have you done your gamma knife yet?