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pet scans, WBRT, questions


ceack

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Hello, I have been reading this board for a long time, but have never posted. I have a VERY special person in my life dealing with this disease since 7-02. There are so many great people here on this site. I was wondering if anyone could please tell me how often someone with NSCLC should get a pet scan. Are they regularly scheduled or do you have to request them?

My 2nd question has to do with WBRT. Can it cause scarring in the brain that would show up on a brain MRI? In a different spot than the original tumor site? Has anyone experienced this? Also, could anyone that had WBRT please tell me about your appetite and energy level? When did you get your appetite and energy back? Do you still need to take naps? Are you losing weight/ maintaining? Are you still working full-time? Thank you for reading this. Please respond!

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Hi and Welcome to the group....Jim has NSCLC and never had a PET scan. I have asked about a PET scan but the onc. didn't think it was needed. He has a CT chest, abdomen and pelvis with contrast scan about every 3 months. He has had a MRI because of a seizure. And also a bone scan because of pain. The MRI and bone scans were negative. Can't help with WBRT questions. I know someone else will have the answers for you and your VERY special friend. The best to the both of you. Carolyn

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Welcome Ceack,

My husband had WBR in Nov '02 just a few weeks after he had brain surgery and just a few weeks before he had lung surgery, so in some ways the whole thing is a blur.

Unfortunately, his concentration and his balance seem to have been permanently affected. His neurosurgeon says that the seizures that started this whole thing, the surgery, the WBR and the multi chemos have all affected his brain. He is not a blubbering idiot by any stretch of the imagination. And I am not sure I can actually pinpoint his problems to the WBR.

I am very confused on this issue. We really didn't even think to question it at the time, our world was just whirling around us. With what I know now, I would have questioned the drs as to why the WBR and not just the pinpoint radiation. But hindsight is etc etc etc.

Again welcome to this most wonderful place filled with kind, supportive and knowledgeable people.

Ginny

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A Pet scan is generally more accurate than a CT scan.

There are certain types of cancer that do not show using a PET as easily (BAC, carcinoid) since they are hypometabolic (they don't use the sugar as fast as other types of lung cancer)

Also if someone is diabetic, a PET may show false results.

There is a new kind of scanner called a PET/CT - it combines a PET and CT scanner and it better than either scanner by itself.

http://www.petscaninfo.com/zportal/port ... ndications

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A Pet scan is generally more accurate than a CT scan.

There are certain types of cancer that do not show using a PET as easily (BAC, carcinoid) since they are hypometabolic (they don't use the sugar as fast as other types of lung cancer)

Also if someone is diabetic, a PET may show false results.

There is a new kind of scanner called a PET/CT - it combines a PET and CT scanner and it better than either scanner by itself.

http://www.petscaninfo.com/zportal/port ... ndications

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I made a couple of posts about WBR and its effects on me in March and they can be found in either this forum or the NSCLC forum.I lost my appetite for 2 months.I ate nothing solid and lost 30 lbs.I also was so fatiqued that I slept 20 hours a day.Most of these symptoms did not appear until a week or so after the last of 15 treatments.I lost all my hair on the 10th treatment.I will add that after the WBR I started radiation to the chest.A total of 18 treatments and it could well have contributed to the fatique and appetite.Others on here seem to not have had the problems that I had with it.I will add though that without the WBR I probably wouldn't be here.They did cause shrinkage and I had one large tumor that was threatening my life.Praying for us all.TBone

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I am not sure if this will be in the right spot, hopefully it will be! Thank you to John, Tbone, Ginnyde, Carolyn Flournoy, and Don Wood for responding. I am sorry it took me awhile to respond. The special person is my dad. He just got the test results from his brain MRI. It is a small tumor. He has been thru a rt. lobectomy(stage 3A) and chemo., then a year later a seizure which led us to find a tumor. He has had radiosurgery, and WBRT. Now he has this new small tumor. This disease is horrible. I am praying for each of you. My dad still is tired, not much appetite, but sort of maintaining his weight. I love him so very much.

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