Hi there

Hello Jimmy_D 

A warm welcome to the online Community, although I know you would rather not be here. At least you are over the diagnosis stage and are now on the treatment pathway.

In answer to your question:

A CT scan takes a series of x-ray pictures of a specific part of your body.

An MRI scan uses strong magnetic fields to take pictures of the inside of your body.

The MRI is better at detecting cancers but the main difference is one uses x-rays and the other a magnetic field.

So we can best help you in the future without asking you the same questions can I ask you to put your diagnosis in your profile (Gleason Score, Initial PSA and TNM staging).

To do this go to the chair on in the top right of your home page, click on it, then "profile" and then "edit". You can read my profile by clicking on my avatar but you don't have to write that much!!

Best wishes - Brian.

Not sure what I am looking at I have a 5.8ug/l has been up to 7.9 and a grade group 2 adenocarcinoma of the prostrate I havnt a clue what this all means ?

Hello Jimmy_D .

Welcome from a wife whose husband has prostate cancer. Millibob (Brian) has given you the technical difference between MRI and  a CT scan. An MRI of the prostate will show more detail of its structure and allows a greater accuracy of where the cancer is along with its spread. A CT scan is usually used to also look for more widespread cancer or abnormalities in the bones, lymph nodes or other organs. A nuclear scan is used to check if there are any bone mets in particular. There is another scan which can pinpoint accurately where prostate cancer cells might have spread to called a PSMA PET CT scan but this is usually only offered after recurrence. There is also a PSMA PET MRI but your clips would exclude this because of the metal.

Hello Jimmy_D 

Well there's some information there. The information I was after was from the Prostate biopsy and should look something like this (mine is Gleason 9 (5+4) Initial PSA 182, T3aN0M0).

It's no issue if you can't find it or indeed if you've not got it - it just helps us help you.

Best wishes - Brian. 

I am goings to have a good look at my letters see if there is anything on them but may I say thankyou very much

Hi Jimmybee and a warm welcome from me your grade group 2 adenocarcinoma is very good news, it means your tumour is likely to still be very small and contained well inside the prostate. Your" 5.8ug/l". could that be 5.8 ng/ml, as i expect it is this i your PSA score  which is what you may expect with a grade 2 tumour. As Brian has said your TNM staging would be a big help in us offering the best advice, I am not an expert but your results so far are very encouraging, best wishes and take care.

Eddie

Hi Jimmy_D

Welcome to our prostate cancer family my friend but sorry to have come across you under these circumstances!!!

Yes I also have Prostate Cancer (Terminal) unfortunately!!! I found out about mine last June by mistake and it was hidden for a number of years due to having a permanent long term catheter.

I have also had a Brain Hemorrhage/Stroke in 1998 at the age of 32. That I fought back from and I will also use the same mindset with my Prostate Cancer.

You have already had some great info on both scans but if there's any further help/advice that I can offer you please please let me know???

Prostate Worrier.