| | Joined: Oct 2011 Posts: 805 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | OP  "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2011 Posts: 805 | Hi Everyone,
As I have been reading many, many posts it seems there are many people who have false positive PET's after tx. Kevin is supposed to have his in March. That will be almost 5 months after his last chemo and RT.
My question is....does an MRI seem to be a safer test as far as false positives go?
Thanks,
Kathy
Kathy wife/caregiver to:
Kevin age:53
Dx 7/15/11
HPV16+ SCC Stage IV BOT/R
Non smoker, casual drinker
7/27/11 Cistplatin, taxotere,5FU 2/3week sessions, followed by IMRT 125cgy x 60 (2x daily) w/Erbitux weekly. Last rad 10/26/11. Last Erbitux 10/27/11
PEG placed 9/1/11 Removed 11/8/11
Clear PET 10/12 and 10/13 and ct in 6/14
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | MRI's dont show everything the doc needs. MRIs dont do a good job showing bones or malignant tumors. For many of us who have had radiation, the doc should be checking out our jawbones for osteoradionecrosis. A PET scan is much more expensive than a CT scan. Many docs will do CT scans first and if they see something suspicious then they will order a PET. One advantage of the PET scan is showing things in 3D (not sure if CT or MRI is 3D). A PET scan will allow the doctor to see things like living vs dead tissue and abnormalities much more detailed than the other tests. A doctor is able to see things at the cell level so things can be caught very very early with a PET scan. A CT scans usually show tumors better than MRIs do.
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  | | | | | Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Mar 2008 Posts: 3,082 | My understanding is that the answer to your specific question is YES, MRI's have lower false positives on BOT oral cancer after TX then Petscans.
But don't worry, if the Petscan does light up, the doctors will just do an MRI to see what is really happening.
I seem to recall that the NCC guidelines for BOT cancer indicate MRIs as the standard but I've gotten their technical issues wrong before.
Still, If I were you, I would have Kevin just follow his doctor's advice and get the Petscan. It's not "wrong" just a difference of opinion and I'm not a doctor. He/She has probably had accurate results from petscans, while I did not.
Plus, getting a totally clean Petscan, that no high SUV report, would be really really comforting to you both
Keep the Faith
Charm
Last edited by Charm2017; 01-22-2012 06:53 PM. Reason: typos
65 yr Old Frack
Stage IV BOT T3N2M0 HPV 16+
2007:72GY IMRT(40) 8 ERBITUX No PEG
2008:CANCER BACK Salvage Surgery
25GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin
Apaghia /G button
2012: CANCER BACK -left tonsilar fossa
40GY-CyberKnife(5) 3 Carboplatin
Passed away 4-29-13
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,844 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,844 | PET's are a great tool in detection with the caveat that they do have a fairly high rate of false positives. When having a scan done being prepared that a hotspot could readily be any number of issues not necessarily cancer is crucial. All these scans, MRI, PET, CT all have issues however their only job is to identify an area of concern for biopsy and then staging if cancer is confirmed.
I say go for the PET just prepare yourself accordingly. Good luck!
Eric
Young Frack, SCC T4N2M0, Cisplatin,35+ rads,ND, RT Mandiblectomy w fibular free flap, facial paralysis, "He who has a "why" to live can bear with almost any "how"." -Nietzche "WARNING" PG-13 due to Sarcasm & WAY too much attitude, interact at your own risk.
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2011 Posts: 805 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | | OP "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Oct 2011 Posts: 805 | Ok...thanks guys and gals!!
Kathy wife/caregiver to:
Kevin age:53
Dx 7/15/11
HPV16+ SCC Stage IV BOT/R
Non smoker, casual drinker
7/27/11 Cistplatin, taxotere,5FU 2/3week sessions, followed by IMRT 125cgy x 60 (2x daily) w/Erbitux weekly. Last rad 10/26/11. Last Erbitux 10/27/11
PEG placed 9/1/11 Removed 11/8/11
Clear PET 10/12 and 10/13 and ct in 6/14
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,409 Likes: 1 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,409 Likes: 1 | Since my surgery and RT they've always done PET-CTs simultaneously, which has in 2 1/2 years seemed to offer all of what my docs want to see.
David 2
SCC of occult origin 1/09 (age 55)| Stage III TXN1M0 | HPV 16+, non-smoker, moderate drinker | Modified radical neck dissection 3/09 | 31 days IMRT finished 6/09 | Hit 15 years all clear in 6/24 | Radiation Fibrosis Syndrome kicked in a few years after treatment and has been progressing since | Prostate cancer diagnosis 10/18
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