Today is the PET/CT scan. After chugging 2 large glasses of barium tracer fluid (which tastes like a thick vanilla rice milk - yes I tasted it), she went in to have her vitals checked and to prep for the exam. I was only allowed to stay in the back long enough to confirm her blood sugar was "perfect" and to see the IV put in her arm. Even though she was guided that she could bend her arm, Shermance walked like Frankenstein to the bathroom to avoid disturbing the IV in her arm. :)
Unlike an MRI or standard CAT scan, the PET scan monitors more than anatomy but also functionality of organs. The F18 (radioactive fluorine) that was injected into Shermance's body flows where sugars are needed. Since cancer cells require 5x more sugar than healthy cells the radioactive fluid accumulates at those spots. The tech explained another difference is MRI, CAT, and even x-ray imaging scans from the outside while PET radiates from the inside and is absorbed by the crystals on the scanner. The cool PET technology gives a 3D image of cancer throughout her body so we can even check on her cervix which has also worried Shermance.
After seeing "The Avengers" last night I had to ask about the affect of the gamma radiation on Shermance. I was comforted that she won't turn into a green monster if she get's angry later today. I won't test it. :)
3 comments:
Anyone know how long the Flouride-18 radioisotope stays in your body after IV treatment? Does hugging a lactating mother pose any harm to her milk 3 hours after initial exposure?
Silly Dale, it's Flourine-18 - Shermance is right AGAIN!
PET scans to me are just about the best way to detect cancer anywhere in your body ( between your eyes & thighs), the isotope (sugar) attaches to the cancer cells and light up as what we call "hot spots". If you've ever seen the scan, the cancerous areas are almost if not red.
The reason I said between eyes & thighs is because that is the range of the scan...any further detection would be by bone scan, MRI, and ctscans.
You need to drink plenty of fluids to flush the Flourine-18 out of your system, it doesn't take as long as the isotope they use for a bone scan, sometimes, I feel I probably glow in the dark. Thirteen Yeats of every possible scan you can think of. But the question is...how did your scan turn out?
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