PET Scan Whole Body

Dear Everybody,

I got my PET scan for whole body done on 18.08.2009. It says no malignancy seen. The report is negative for cancer. I went for PET scan on my own without consulting any Doctor. My doubt is whether are there any type of cancer cells which can go undecteced in PET scan. 

2. If I am negative for cancer then how come the syptoms are there for IVth stage oral cancer.

3. Can that PET machine malfunction ?

Please advise I am worrried

On 8/26/2009 hapsood wrote:

Dear Everybody,

I got my PET scan for whole body done on 18.08.2009. It says no malignancy seen. The report is negative for cancer. I went for PET scan on my own without consulting any Doctor. My doubt is whether are there any type of cancer cells which can go undecteced in PET scan. 

2. If I am negative for cancer then how come the syptoms are there for IVth stage oral cancer.

3. Can that PET machine malfunction ?

Please advise I am worrried

Maybe I'm missing something here but why would you go for a PET without a doctor authorizing it?  Do you even have a doctor?  What makes you think you have stage 4 oral cancer?

If you suspect you have oral cancer, you need to see a doctor ASAP.  There are tests other than the PET to help determine diagnosis.  And cancer cannot be diagnosed properly without a biopsy.

As for the PET, yes, it can show false positives.  But you can also have very small cancer cells which would not show yet on a PET scan. 

You need to see your primary doctor and the sooner the better.

God Bless 

I must agree with the previous response. A PET scan can malfunction but it is not a frequent occurrence.

If you believe you have symptoms of oral cancer you need to be seen by a physician immediately.  Cancer is not something to self diagnose as many other issues can come into play and almost anything you believeis a "symptom" of cancer may in fact be something completely different. 

Best of luck!

Kate 

On 8/26/2009 hapsood wrote:

Dear Everybody,

I got my PET scan for whole body done on 18.08.2009. It says no malignancy seen. The report is negative for cancer. I went for PET scan on my own without consulting any Doctor. My doubt is whether are there any type of cancer cells which can go undecteced in PET scan. 

2. If I am negative for cancer then how come the syptoms are there for IVth stage oral cancer.

3. Can that PET machine malfunction ?

Please advise I am worrried

1. Who diagnosed you with stage 4 oral cancer? You mean to tell me that you had a biopsy and everything? 2. What kind of oral cancer? 3. How were you able to get a PET scan without a doctor ordering the test? It's not like you can go to PET Scans 'R' Us at the local strip mall to get one on your lunch break.

 As far as PET scans go -- no test is foolproof, but  I've never heard of someone with a stage 4 cancer having a false negative result.  Stage 4 cancer is kind of has a way of speaking for itself. 

 My advice is, if you really have a serious reason to suspect cancer -- i.e. a mouth sore that won't heal, unusual swelling, pain, etc. go see a Ear, Nose and Throat specialist (ENT) and get a proper diagnosis from someone who has experience with the disease. Only a biopsy result can confirm cancer. 

Hapsood,

 For the PET scanner to pick up a lesion it has to be greater than approximately 5 mm and it has to be metabolically active.  The PET works off of radioactive glucose, so for it to detect a tumor it has to be more metabolically active that the surrounding tissues.  This is why PET scans are not used for renal and bladder cancers, as the urinary tract is the  method of excretion and would be impossible to detect.  Also, ther are some cancers that are not metabolically active enough to be positive on a PET scan.

Head and neck cancers do not usually fall into this catagory, as they are very agressive and have a high sensitivity for FDG uptake.  If you request a copy of you PET scan on disc from the facilty, it will come with a player that will allow you to look at it on your computer.  If it is completly blank then there could have been a problem with the scan, typically you can see a fuzzy outline/shadow of the major organs, heart, lungs, bowels, g i tract, etc.  You should be able to read the radiologist report and look at the scan and make sense of it.

 Wes