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Need some info


gail

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This is absolutely not forme, but I need info for a friend.

A CAT scan showed enlarged lymph nodes in her abdomen. She got her PET scan and unfortunately found out today that they lit up.

Dr is suspecting a lymphoma, but needs more testing, mainly a biopsy.

I am looking for PET wcan stories, hopefully ones with happy endings.

However, give me all you got.

Thanks

gail

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Well, lessee...most everyone has PET scans, or other scans. Can only suggest you do a search (upper right corner of page) for PET SCAN, or MY STORY forum might have some stories bout it.

I do know that everything that lights up on a PET is not life threatening, or even cancer, tho many are also. So take it one day at a time...get dr. report of scan with their opinion before assuming anything bad or good..k? take care...Rich B.

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I had a PET, CT and MRI done in June and they all pointed to the possibility of liver mets. The surgeon did a biopsy and found it was non-specific inflammation. I was told a PET scan can light up from infection, inflammation or cancer and that a PET can give false indications of cancer about 20% of the time.

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Hi Gail,

A PET scan positive can indicate an inflammation, infectin, or tumor. It is not until actual tissue is sampled and tested, that a determination can be made as to what it is.

I have read that PET scans can produce false positives, but nothing will be certain until tissue is sampled.

Cindy

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We were told that with PET scans, the contrast they used was a sugar type substance with radiated contrast added. Since Cancer cells uptake high levels of sugar, they absorb more of the radiant. There are however other naturally occurring tissues that absorb higher sugar contents as well. We were told that PET scans were not terribly accurate on livers since the liver processes a lot of sugar naturally. Also, scar tissue takes up sugar higher than normal tissue as it is using the energy to repair damage. The same is true with infections, and with lymph nodes that are processing infection. When normal tissue is absorbing higher levels of sugar energy to offset some natural occurance, it can be mistaken for cancer tissue.

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Hi Gail, I had 4 little spots light up on PET a few years ago. They were right in a row up the center of my chest, but the CT did not show corresponding enlarged nodes. Spots completely disappeared on next PET and have not returned.

I hope your friend's tests come back OK.

Barb

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