Patcey,


A false positive is when the scan shows possible cancer when it does not exist. A PET scan shows the heat signature of growing cells. Abnormal growth shows as "hot" and can indicate cancer. A number of other factors can also show hot that are not cancer. Sometimes it is just the healing process for those who have had previous treatment. Also, the oral cavity itself is notorious for being hot and can show false positives.

Positive PET scans are generally followed by another procedure or scan to confirm the result. I think it is EricS on this board who had a number of false positives.

Be that as it may, my RO only wants CT�s unless we find a good reason for a PET (too many false positives for him) others here have doctors who go to the PET first. My first CT post treatment is next week, 6 months out, so my RO is extra cautious about false positives whereas Andy is having a PET one month out. I have yet to make sense of the various ways different doctors view this stuff.