carlton Posted May 11, 2004 Share Posted May 11, 2004 Hi Everyone-----I had to bring my ct. scans to my pulmonary doc. last week . There were some things that he wanted to see more of i guess he ordered a pet scan for Jun 8th.(have to wait till then as medicare will only pay for one pet a year and that will be my years date) and was wondering if any of you have looked at some of yours and to explain what a tumor looks like-black whte or what. Tried to make out mine one lung is black with some white lines going through the other lung has only a littleblack ontop and bottom the whole center is completely white. Wondering if that is the tumor? Any help is much appreciated. Thanks Carlton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY A Posted May 11, 2004 Share Posted May 11, 2004 CARLTON, dont let the pet scan get you to worried. The idea of the pet scan is you get injected with radio acrtive sugar. cancer has a high motabilism which therefore suposed to absorbe the sugar faster and show up in black. BUT there are other organs in your body that also have a high motabalism and they will show up black also. SO if you dont know what your looking for you can drive yourself nuts. Ever since I had my very first ct scan and looked at it and went nuts I told my self that I will wait untill my doc tells me what was going on. Looking at the scans are not going to change if there good or bad. It will just drive you nuts. The one thing I do is after I see my doc and he has the report and tells me the news (good or bad) I ask for a copy of the report for my records. My Onoc does not even care if he gets the report back from ct scan or pet scan place he said he doesnt trust their reports anyway. HE looks at the scans himself and compares the with the old ones. Good luck my friend RAY A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Cheryl- Posted May 12, 2004 Share Posted May 12, 2004 Ray, I remember a post from a long time ago, in which somebody picked up their scans to take to their doctor. Temptation got the best of them on the way, and they peeked at the scans. Upon examination there appeared to be two huge masses in the brain. The doctor would later put their mind at ease when he informed them that what they were looking at wasn't mets, but eyes! That was you wasn't it. I also recall a post of Sam's (a physician), who said that he had examined his own scans too, only to realize that he was not an expert in the field of radiology. So, the moral of the story is leave the interpretating to the specialist. Listen to Ray. I think he speaks from experience. Ha! Come on now Ray.....that was you, huh? I always try to read the tech'expressions. That doesn't work either. Anyway, try not to read your own scans. like Ray said, "It can drive you nuts!" Cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SandyS Posted May 12, 2004 Share Posted May 12, 2004 Me TOO! I couldn't resist looking at my PET scans - and thought I was a gonner because of a huge mass in my chest..............it was my heart! *splat* (sound of forehead hitting desk)! LEAVE THEM ALONE - the docs know what they're doing....and like they said, a lot of it is comparing them to previous scans of yours. Hugs and prayers, SandyS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Cheryl- Posted May 12, 2004 Share Posted May 12, 2004 Oh Sandy, How funny! I remember a radiologist telling my onc that this shadow looked like a new mass.....my onc said "No, I am pretty sure that is a nipple." Your onc should always compare new scans to your old scans. Prayers be with you Carlton. Cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY A Posted May 12, 2004 Share Posted May 12, 2004 Cheryl, I remember that story which is a good example of why you dont look at the scans. BUT that wasn't me. I rember that was a great story. I think it may have been a reply to on of my posts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY A Posted May 12, 2004 Share Posted May 12, 2004 I also rember another story that some one lookat X-rays I think and saw tumors on there chest and they were nipples!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowflake Posted May 12, 2004 Share Posted May 12, 2004 The white lines are supposed to be there - I forgot what they're called (and in this state of mind couldn't spell the words, anyway!), but they're needed to breathe... If it's your left lung that has the lines above and below but "stuff" in the middle, the stuff could be your heart... Could just be your doctor isn't sure about something he thought he might have seen. I just had an MRI to rule out anything nastier than a thyroid issue (waiting for results) due to some symptoms I have - the doctor doesn't REALLY think there's anything going on, she just wants to be sure due to history. Your doctor could just be very thorough, due to your "history" and all. (I HATE hearing that I have "history" when I do these darn tests, makes me feel like an ex-hooker or gang-banger or something! LOL) Don't panic! Becky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Cheryl- Posted May 12, 2004 Share Posted May 12, 2004 Hey Ray, Atleast I am willing to admit the thing about....well you know the nipples!!! But it was you, wasn't it!!!! Come on now. P.S. Nice new Picture. Heeeee Heeeee Cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eileen Posted May 13, 2004 Share Posted May 13, 2004 Ok ----I confess , it was me with the eye sockets- ---and then Sandy answered with the tumor in the "heart" so I vowed never to read my own scans again----because they can drive you nuts!!! regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MO_Sugar Posted May 13, 2004 Share Posted May 13, 2004 Not only can reading your own scans drive you nuts but a "new" tech can also drive you nuts. I had one look at an x-ray and come out to ask me if I was missing a lung! I actually had a major pleural effusion where the entire lung was "hidden" but it set be back a few minutes when she asked the question! Let the "Big Boys" do the reading cause thats what we are paying the "BIG BUCKS" for!! God Bless, MO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Phyllis Posted May 13, 2004 Share Posted May 13, 2004 My doc told me I had a spot on my liver. It turned out that I had not unbuttoned my blue jeans and the metal showed up. Freaked me out, and I learned to only wear sweats for my CT's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowflake Posted May 13, 2004 Share Posted May 13, 2004 Wow, Phyllis! I ALWAYS wear jeans...but I've only had an abdominal CT once. Wonder why the underwires of my undergarments don't show up in my chest CTs...two smilies there... Maybe the "surgical clips" are the hooks and eyes on my undergarment...hmmmm.... Ah, well... I can't read 'em. Darn lucky if I have 'em right side up and the left lung on the left side when it comes to those CT slices! (I can tell the difference in an x-ray NOW because one is shorter than the other.) Hey, I can admit I'm dumb to it all, I'm BLONDE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Phyllis Posted May 13, 2004 Share Posted May 13, 2004 Well, I'm bald, tired, and even dumber. Plus, I like living in denial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie Posted May 13, 2004 Share Posted May 13, 2004 At least all you guys knew what you were looking at!! Me and My dad couldnt figure out what body part we were looking at after 3 ct's, and 3 PETs. We gave up after 1/2 hour. Said screw it, we'll wait. Jamie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Cheryl- Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 Ray, I knew it wasn't you after checking back posts. I just love RAZZING YA!!!! Eileen it took a lot of courage to out yourself! Ha We won't tal about the nipple incident Jammie et al, I could never figure out which scans were what either. Becky and phylis, they make me get naked? Nah, I wear a gown. I remember once when I was waiting for radiation, they told this little senior citizen to change into one of those gowns.....well he did so, right there in the waiting area! Another lady was told to put on a gown and take everything underneath off. Her gown came to her navel! She was so cute with her little high heels on. I went and got her a longer gown. Nobody tells you crap, you are just expected to know these things and do as they say. Patients just do as they are told. Jack my better half, will have none of it!!! He makes sure my treatment isn't sub par! You got to laugh though. Cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nushka Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 Yawl crack me up. I needed a good laugh and the gown exploits gave me several. Becky, I hope everything is ok. Will be thinking about you. Nina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimblanchard Posted May 14, 2004 Share Posted May 14, 2004 No zippers, underwire bras, necklace or earrings where I get my scans. Sweats work fine in the winter but gowns (long enough) work better in the summer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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