? about pet scans - Cancer: Lung Message Board

myhearthurts · 03-04-2007, 03:04 PM

Do only malignan tumors show up on PET scans? I thought aPet scan showed how masses metabolize the gluclose that is injected. or maybe I am completely wrong and misunderstood how it works.

Kimslos · 03-04-2007, 10:13 PM

Hi
I am not sure, but you have looked it up on the Internet?
Kim

DaveInVA · 03-05-2007, 09:41 AM

Yes Pet Scans pick up abnormal metabolism of the glucose marker. Many cancers metabolize it many times faster than normal cells. So it can't always tell between a malignant or benign tumor as benign tumors can grow fast also. And in my case the PET scan didn't even show my 7.7 cm tumor because it was a carcinoid and they have lower metabolism of glucose. For that type of cancer an Ostreotide scan is used instead.

Dave

mwessell · 03-07-2007, 05:47 AM

PET scans will show any areas of metabolism, normal or not, malignant or not. When I saw my PET scan, my heart sank because of all the "lit up" areas. From looking at it, you would think I only had days to live, but it was a normal scan.

Your heart, bladder and other areas will light up - anywhere metabolism takes place. The test is not 100% accurate - but pretty close.

lorriem · 03-07-2007, 11:19 AM

In my husbands last pet scan his upper mid abdomen showed an svu 4.8 uptake so he had a CAT scan in that area and it showed it to be normal.Pet scans are the best but a CT scan is also helpful.