canceled PET scan

[mcp1941]

Had CT and bone scans 3/26. Both were neg for prostate mets but CT scan showed one very small spot on each of the left and right lobes of the liver and a side line mass in the pancreas. MO ordered an Axumin scan but had to wait 4 weeks for scan. PET center only does Axumin scans on Fridays. My appointment was scheduled for 5/4 but I received a call 2 hours before to cancel due to a bad batch. I have to wait until Monday to be rescheduled. After I hung up I just fell apart. I never cried like that in my life. I don't know if I can handle not getting an appointment for next Friday.

What do they have to mix and test after they receive the Axumin from the vendor that made it a bad batch???

MO's plan was to see if any of the liver and pancreas findings were mets and if not I was to see my gastro for him to find out what was going on there.

[Tall_Allen]

How frustrating! I'm glad they check the positron-emission activity of each batch before injecting. I've seldom heard of prostate cancer in the pancreas, and benign spots on the liver are common. As you know, the CT scan shows lesions of any kind including benign ones. I hope you can focus on that for the next week. I learned with my parents' cancers to try to take it as it comes and not get ahead of what we currently knew.

[mcp1941 in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thanks for your quick reply. I am feeling much better now and think I can mentally handle a reschedule for 1 or 2 weeks. If more than 2 weeks I will do a lot more than scream. Do you know what they mean about mixing the solution for Axumin scan?

[Tall_Allen in reply to mcp1941]

I really don't know. Perhaps it arrives freeze-dried or needing dilution with something that facilitates infusion and systemic distribution.

[Don1157]

Hang in there! Things can appear as if they are one thing on a CT and something else on a PET scan. Sometimes it takes a couple of looks to see what’s going on.

[j-o-h-n]

If they cancel again (which I hope they don't) ask if there's another facility which can take you in right away. If not, KILL THEM... joking of course.

Good Luck and Good Health.

j-o-h-n Sunday 05/06/2019 6:15 PM EDT

[tallguy2]

I had the Axumin PET scan a few weeks ago. It is a radio-pharmaceutical with a half-life of 6 hours. It is only produced at a limited number of sites in the USA. I pray that you get your scan soon. It pinpoints exactly where your PC is located. Good luck!

[Hidden]

To mcp1941, at least you didn’t do the bad batch. I cry profusely at the drop of a dime.. It amazes me while dealing with medical delays or mis scheduling how amplified our emotions can become.. it’s all part of living in a menapausal state. An emotional rollercoaster.. You are not alone in this. YOU WILL GET YOUR APPOINTMENT... Take care..... all part of the fun...

[rust]

I paid $4,500 for an Axumin scan in December 2017 when PSA was about 2 and the results were negative. When a 2nd facility reviewed the results they said the scan was bad.The imaging center refused to reperform or refund. About 10% of Axumin scan patients have early excretion into the urinary tract which can obscure imaging of areas around the bladder, prostate bed, etc. No one talked about the 6 hour expiration with the agent for my study but I wonder if it was near the expiration window as it had to be transported 130 miles.

The Axumin PET scan is a great diagnostic tool and appropriate for planning treatment fields for radiation therapy. Studies also show that it results in restaging of recurrent disease in 50% +/- of patients.

I had a bone and CT scan reperformed 3 months later due to rocketing PSA now near 9. Still no radiologic evidence of metastasis and have begun monotherapy of Enzalutamide in the EMBARK trial.

[Tjc1]

I almost missed mine. The courier got stuck in traffic. He eventually got there ant i got the scan. Showed mets in my clavical so i guess it was still good. The tech never s asid anything about mixing it. Just that time was imporant. He was pretty informative and even showed me the scan. I saw my mets as a black spot. But he said he didnt know what it ment. LOL.

[mcp1941 in reply to Tjc1]

I want to thank all for their compassionate replies. I am right at this time waiting for the call from scheduling. If no call by noon I will call them.