CT SCANS

[Brimay]

Hi All

I just wanted to ask the community how many CT scans are detrimental. I have lung cancer scares regularly and have had 4 CT scans in the past year (3 chest and 1 sinus)

I now find myself needing another one and am concerned that I am now having too much radiation.

All comments welcome.

Regards,

Brian

[Fifi24]

Hi,

can I just ask, do you have cancer at all?

Or have you had it in the past?

If yes, then apparently CT scans outweigh the consequences, this is what I was told when my husband was having one practically every month... I did say, by doing another ( his cancer was growing and spreading) you are not going to be giving treatment, so why would you do that do him?

So I did stop them continuing... as all it was doing, was causing distress... which is hard enough when you are trying to be strong for each other...

[loweyalex]

I have had lung cancer for nearly 8 years had lots to begin with, after treatment my specialist was reluctant to have one done explaining the risk of having to many

I went for years without one and it’s only recently that he considered it nesssary that was only because I had an infection that they couldn’t clear up

You got to way up the pros and cons don’t be to hasty to have one unless ot is nessary

[Boo3 in reply to loweyalex]

Hi loweyalex ,

Good to hear you’re still going strong after 8 years . :)) thst is very encouraging . Are you fit and well ( I hope so ) and have you changed your lifestyle I.e : stopped working ?? I hope you don’t mind telling me

[loweyalex in reply to Boo3]

Hi, no problem when I was diagnosed I sold a small business and retired as I was 62 and wanted to concentrate on the treatments ie Chemo and radiotherapy which was quite intensive to quote the specialist I will either kill or cure you.

Had good times and bad the lung collapsed the first year after a bad infection (pneumonia ) so have suffered a lot from infections as the lung was now full of gunk

Also suffer from copd which makes matters worse..

Overall I have had a reasonable quality of life and led it independently it was only when I came out of hospital after the pneumonia that I was put on palliative care for a short time, that was worrying.

Hope I have not prattled on to much.

Feel free to contact me anytime

Best wishes for the future

Alex

[Boo3 in reply to loweyalex]

Aaah thanks Alex ... good to hear your story & that you’re still going strong . :)) Wishing you all the best x

[JanetteR57]

Like Alex, I am a 7 year survivor having had half my left lung removed in Dec 2010 and diagnosed in Jan 2011. I initially was put into an annual pathway as my recovery was so good but then had a couple of scares/suspected recurrences that involved CT and PET and bronchoscopes. My respiratory consultant is always reluctant to give unnecessary CT scans but I have regular Chest x-rays although like Alex have frequent chest infections and was hospitalised Dec 2016 for 5 days with pneumonia and 14 nights last spring with a healthcare acquired antibiotic resistant infection which can be dangerous for those with compromised immune systems and respiratory difficulties. Many of the UK machines are not low dose CT (unlike Europe and US) but they are being replaced over time (massive investment) but as others have said, you have to weigh up the risks of not finding something in time for some treatment options by finding it earlier. One issue about CT scans is that for those whose lungs are damaged anyway, (or during other diagnostic tests), many people are found to have solitary or very small lung nodules that wouldn't develop into anything serious but as with other 'screening' techniques for other cancers, could result in patients having aggressive treatment for something that may not have gone onto become dangerous so there is now a 'care plan' for treating solitary nodules approved for the UK. Good luck whatever your decision.