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What Does PET Scan Report Indicate?
Brief Answer:
Doing PETCT scan too soon can cause confusion in knowing treatment response
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for writing in to us.
PET CT is a technique using CT scan and radio isotope elements to get a better look of disease areas in conditions like non Hodgkin lymphomas.
The PET CT scan is suggested for staging purposes during treatment of lymphomas. The harm in PET CT is not much considering the disease condition and the only harm is from the small dose of radiation.
A gap is needed between two PET CT scans because it is difficult to appreciate treatment response if you get two scans done in a short duration. The doctor will not able to completely judge if the treatment is going on properly and this will add to confusion.
In cases of lymphoma, an interim PET CT can be done after 2 cycles of chemotherapy but this is a controversial topic and under research consideration because cancer treatment is getting updated every day.
Therefore it is left to the treating doctor to request for a PET CT scan when needed to assess the response to treatment without confusing results. There is nothing like any fixed weeks or months duration. It is more depending on the initial disease staging and treatment followed.
Regards,
Doing PETCT scan too soon can cause confusion in knowing treatment response
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for writing in to us.
PET CT is a technique using CT scan and radio isotope elements to get a better look of disease areas in conditions like non Hodgkin lymphomas.
The PET CT scan is suggested for staging purposes during treatment of lymphomas. The harm in PET CT is not much considering the disease condition and the only harm is from the small dose of radiation.
A gap is needed between two PET CT scans because it is difficult to appreciate treatment response if you get two scans done in a short duration. The doctor will not able to completely judge if the treatment is going on properly and this will add to confusion.
In cases of lymphoma, an interim PET CT can be done after 2 cycles of chemotherapy but this is a controversial topic and under research consideration because cancer treatment is getting updated every day.
Therefore it is left to the treating doctor to request for a PET CT scan when needed to assess the response to treatment without confusing results. There is nothing like any fixed weeks or months duration. It is more depending on the initial disease staging and treatment followed.
Regards,
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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