Pet imaging versus CT, bone or other images

[StayingOptimistic]

A pet scan can find Mets 7 years ahead of the regular CT, bone or other scans. Do everyone find this to be true from your own experiences? The reason I am asking is my MO told me, the psma scan I had found the Mets about 9-12 months ahead from the other scans. Thanks for your input on this

[Tall_Allen]

Doctors say all kinds of unfounded things on youtube. It's not a good source of information.

[Schwah in reply to Tall_Allen]

Is there any consensus in the industry of how much sooner the newer PSMA scans are seeing mets than the previous best imaging? Do you have an opinion on that question TA?

Schwah

[Tall_Allen in reply to Schwah]

Why does it matter? It depends on how fast each tumor is growing. We know it's not as sensitive for bone metastases vs NaF18, and not as sensitive for LN metastases vs Combidex MRI. But it's just lead-time bias.

[tango65]

Nobody knows how may years ahead. It is known that PSMA PET/CTs have a higher detection rate than CT and Bone scans.

PSMA PET/CTs are here to stay and eventually practically nobody is going to have CT and bone scans to follow the cancer evolution.

My cancer has been followed with PSMA PET/CTs only for the last 6 1/2 years.

[dhccpa in reply to tango65]

Does the CT portion of a PET/CT generate the same quality images as having a standalone CT scan?

[tango65 in reply to dhccpa]

No, unless it is order with a diagnostic CT.

[dhccpa in reply to tango65]

And how about the SUV on PETs? Are any of those false positives where it shows higher than background SUV?

[tango65 in reply to dhccpa]

They may be with SUV values just above the SUV of the blood pool. All imaging techniques have false negatives and false positives.

The experience of the reader is very important.

[dhccpa in reply to tango65]

Thanks

[Jancapper]

As a practicing nuclear pharmacist for over 30 years, I can tell you there is some truth to the statement. However, the 7 years is a bit of an exaggeration. The reason all nuclear medicine based scans can detect cancer earlier is because they rely on biological function for uptake and detection. Whereas MRI and CT scans give you beautiful clear pictures, they do not offer information on biological function of an organ of interest. Additionally, PET (position emission tomography) offer the cleanest images of the nuclear medicine scans is because of the type of radiation emitted. All nuclear medicine based scans can detect biological function abnormalities far ahead of anatomy only based imaging.

[leebeth]

That type of claim is a generalization. Perhaps, if someone had a very slow growing cancer, this would be true. I cannot imagine how this could be true with a fast growing, highly aggressive cancer.

[bglendi53]

Dr. Sholtz says he doesn't know why anyone would continue with CT & Bone scans If a PSMA -pet is available.

My MO doesn't seem to agree and wants me to do yet another Bone & CT Scan right now in lieu of the PSMA. I'm arguing with him right now.

[Gl448 in reply to bglendi53]

Dexa bone scans reveal things about your bone health that a PET/CT might not.

Dr Dorff is going to have me do both at some point.

[Rev214]

I think he means up to 7 years sooner! That's what I took it to mean, knowing the differences common among cancers!

[NecessarilySo]

I have had scans, and I tried to get a copy of them and study them carefully. It is not an easy job. It takes time to go through each of over a thosand layers. And what I thought I saw was totally different from what the radiologists saw. I saw hyperactivity in my pancreas and the radiologist disagreed. So now I am pretty much confused about the whole issue. I think it is good to try to see your own mets on scans, but you have to question everything you think you see.

[Gl448 in reply to NecessarilySo]

If your PET had a radiotracer agent, the pancreas and liver will light up big time. This is a normal physiologic response.

[NecessarilySo in reply to Gl448]

Apparently. Testicles, too. Thanks.

[Gl448 in reply to NecessarilySo]

I don’t know about that. They didn’t on my Axumin Pet. 🤷🏼

[gsun]

I'm not a radiologist. I don't pretend I can interpret the images.

[RMontana]

Here is a good article on the need for both types of scans and what each can add to your diagnosis...take a look...

healthunlocked.com/active-s...

Here is another study on PSAM PET and its advantages...maybe both have their place. But if I had to choose I would opt for a PSMA PET over regular Bone Scans. TNX

healthunlocked.com/active-s...