Hard third wide excision and a pet ct scan, what can it show?

Hi , I have always assumed that PET CT scans were looking for cancer inside the body, to see if early signs of a spread can be detected to get you treatment as early as possible, it can show a spread before you have any symptoms that might make you feel unwell. It’s good news that your hospital are being careful. I have had CT scans every 3 months since 2015, when my metastatic melanoma was diagnosed. I haven’t had a PET scan. There a bit of info in the following Macmillan link I’m not sure if it will be helpful, it only mentions inside the body, melanomas on the skin can be so thin. 

https://www.macmillan.org.uk/information-and-support/audience/teens-and-young-adults/test-and-scans/pet-scan.html#320378

The Macmillan support line is open 8am to 8pm if you want to talk through any expert stuff. 

Best wishes 

Hi again

The PET scan picks up tumours because tumour cells are usually more active than other cells. Also, tumours often have very good blood supplies. This means that lots of the radioactive glucose they inject ends up in the tumours, which then give out lots of energy. On the scan it looks like they glow.

By overlaying the results of the PET bit of the scan with CT bit of the scan, they can work out what lumpy bits are actively growing tumours and which are just lumps.

My PET scan actually showed that I was still stage 3c and not stage 4 as they had thought. There was a lump in my abdomen but it was just a lump, not a melanoma. It is still there, doing nothing, in every scan since.

I think small melanomas in the skin do not show up so well because they are likely to be small and to have a smaller blood supply, especially in the early stages. Your dermatologist or oncologist is probably better at picking up melanomas on the skin's surface than a PET scanner. If it is on the surface, they do it by eye. If it is inside the skin, they do an ultrasound scan.

All the best

Thanks moira, all very helpful. In wonder did you have a headache after petscan? Mine was awful. Just wondering.

Thanks so much for  this.i have so much to learn I know. I was only diagnosed in December so learning a lot.

regards

andrea 

Hi

No I did not have  a headache.

All the best

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