 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | There are many of us who have had the false positive result from a PET. Its fairly common, it happened to me too. If you use the search feature and put in the key words false positive you will find this discussed many times by many members.
Yes, inflammation can create a false positive result. With having a major surgery such as the mandibulectomy and finishing rads only in June, its very possible there is considerable swelling still there. This will cause the scan to light up like a Christmas Tree.
Wishing your mother all the very best with this! Hopefully its exactly what your doc explained, just a false positive and nothing else. Best wishes!
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive  | 
