Aa
For a doctor to answer
Is a yearly mammography needed if I'm having neck to knee PET scans several times a year (allergic to CT dye)? This new article in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine seems to say 'no'.
ARTICLE HERE
ARTICLE HERE
Best Answer
Hi again diane,
Now that I've "done my homework," just a couple of comments about the article you cited:
Did you note that this article was first published in 2008?
Did you note that this study had to do with the staging of breast cancer, not screening for cancer?
Did you note that this study involved not just PET scans, which you mentioned you are having, but integrated PET/CT scans (apparently with contrast, which would be a problem for you)?
Hope you are able to find the answers you are looking for.
Regards,
bb
Now that I've "done my homework," just a couple of comments about the article you cited:
Did you note that this article was first published in 2008?
Did you note that this study had to do with the staging of breast cancer, not screening for cancer?
Did you note that this study involved not just PET scans, which you mentioned you are having, but integrated PET/CT scans (apparently with contrast, which would be a problem for you)?
Hope you are able to find the answers you are looking for.
Regards,
bb
Hi again,
I see no reason to delete your post,and I am sorry if this is what you thought I meant.
I simply suggested that when all your posts and answers given are all together,then it makes it much easier to follow the thread.
As "bluebutterfly" mentioned,we are not doctors,but members who try to help the best way we can.The article I gave you in my previous message,might not be very recent,but this is what I always thought to be true about PET scan versus mammography for detecting very small nodules in the breast.Your article could be true too ,but I think that the best thing to do is to ask the radiologist when you'll see him/her.
Also you could post in the "Expert Forum" to get a doctor's response as Bluebutterfly suggested.I would be very interested to know if a PET scan could detect small lesion in the breast.Nowadays, with so much advancement in breast cancer detection, we might not be aware about the latest discoveries.
Again all the best to you... :)
I see no reason to delete your post,and I am sorry if this is what you thought I meant.
I simply suggested that when all your posts and answers given are all together,then it makes it much easier to follow the thread.
As "bluebutterfly" mentioned,we are not doctors,but members who try to help the best way we can.The article I gave you in my previous message,might not be very recent,but this is what I always thought to be true about PET scan versus mammography for detecting very small nodules in the breast.Your article could be true too ,but I think that the best thing to do is to ask the radiologist when you'll see him/her.
Also you could post in the "Expert Forum" to get a doctor's response as Bluebutterfly suggested.I would be very interested to know if a PET scan could detect small lesion in the breast.Nowadays, with so much advancement in breast cancer detection, we might not be aware about the latest discoveries.
Again all the best to you... :)
That article is 3 years old but the article I cited is from this week.
You may delete my post if it's out of order.
Thanks!
You may delete my post if it's out of order.
Thanks!
PET-CT scans are used to follow some patients with lung cancer and lymphoma, but they're not recommended for screening women who have had breast cancer.Not all breast cancers are "PET avid": many breast cancer tumors have low rates of metabolism,so the PET part of the scan would miss them.In addition, tumors less than 1 centimeter in diameter don't show up very well on a PET-CT scan.Mammography may be the older technology, but it's actually better than PET-CT scans at detecting small cancerous growths.
You can read the whole article by clicking on the link below.
http://harvardpartnersinternational.staywellsolutionsonline.com/HealthNewsLetters/69,L0509d
P.S. Please if you have any additional questions or comments,it would be better if you keep them on the same thread by using the space below the answer/s you have received.This helps to have all your information together so we can better help you.
Thank you.
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No worry; MedHelp normally only deletes post that are reported as abusive or spam.
I noticed that in the title of this thread you requested an answer from a doctor. Questions in this forum are answered by survivors and other volunteers generally not identified as medical professionals.
I would therefore suggest you discuss this issue, and your article, with the oncologist ordering these tests, if you have not already done so.. Alternatively, you might want to post your question in the BC Expert Forum or the Radiology Expert Forum.
Best wishes,
bluebutterfly