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Scans this morning
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Scans this morning

› Forums › General Melanoma Community › Scans this morning

  • Post
    • May 20, 2014 at 12:54 pm
    tcell
    Participant

      Hi all,

      had my first scans after begin of BRAF / MEK therapy in February this morning and will discuss the results on Friday with my oncologist.

      I originally had mets on lungs, liver, adrenals, pelvis and th-10. Hoping that my tumor burden has been reduced at least at bit!

      I had no brain mets according to the PET they did back in February. The onc said that because of that there is no need for an MRI but just had a CT of skull, thorax and abdomen done. He suggested that if they find something suspicious in the CT we would do an MRI of the brain

      Q: Do you usually get MRI scans with stage IV melanoma every 3 months as a routine? Is the CT still accurate enough to show lesions in the brain, especially when they are rather small?

    Viewing 8 reply threads
    • Replies
        • May 20, 2014 at 1:53 pm
        kpcollins31
        Participant

          I hope the results are in your favor. As a data point, my first scan following stage IV diagnosis/surgery is tomorrow morning and it is a PET scan only (3 months out). I remember being surprised initially by this as well – my thought was they would do CT of chest/abdomen and MRI of brain before going to the PET scan. I will be discussing scan frequency/type/plan with my oncologost tomorrow after the PET. Will post back my findings.

          Kevin

              

            • May 21, 2014 at 8:00 pm
            kpcollins31
            Participant

              So I had my scan this morning and it came back clear, which is great. I talked about timing and type of next scan with my oncologist. I was expecting to hear come back in 3 months, but he indicated it would be 6 months. At the 6 month mark, we would repeat PET/CT and do an MRI of the brain.

              Kevin

              • May 22, 2014 at 7:39 am
              tcell
              Participant

                Hi Kevin,

                thanks for sharing the great news! Being clear is also my plan but I don't know when yet. Will know more tomorrow!

                • May 22, 2014 at 7:39 am
                tcell
                Participant

                  Hi Kevin,

                  thanks for sharing the great news! Being clear is also my plan but I don't know when yet. Will know more tomorrow!

                  • May 22, 2014 at 7:39 am
                  tcell
                  Participant

                    Hi Kevin,

                    thanks for sharing the great news! Being clear is also my plan but I don't know when yet. Will know more tomorrow!

                    • May 21, 2014 at 8:00 pm
                    kpcollins31
                    Participant

                      So I had my scan this morning and it came back clear, which is great. I talked about timing and type of next scan with my oncologist. I was expecting to hear come back in 3 months, but he indicated it would be 6 months. At the 6 month mark, we would repeat PET/CT and do an MRI of the brain.

                      Kevin

                      • May 21, 2014 at 8:00 pm
                      kpcollins31
                      Participant

                        So I had my scan this morning and it came back clear, which is great. I talked about timing and type of next scan with my oncologist. I was expecting to hear come back in 3 months, but he indicated it would be 6 months. At the 6 month mark, we would repeat PET/CT and do an MRI of the brain.

                        Kevin

                      • May 20, 2014 at 1:53 pm
                      kpcollins31
                      Participant

                        I hope the results are in your favor. As a data point, my first scan following stage IV diagnosis/surgery is tomorrow morning and it is a PET scan only (3 months out). I remember being surprised initially by this as well – my thought was they would do CT of chest/abdomen and MRI of brain before going to the PET scan. I will be discussing scan frequency/type/plan with my oncologost tomorrow after the PET. Will post back my findings.

                        Kevin

                            

                        • May 20, 2014 at 1:53 pm
                        kpcollins31
                        Participant

                          I hope the results are in your favor. As a data point, my first scan following stage IV diagnosis/surgery is tomorrow morning and it is a PET scan only (3 months out). I remember being surprised initially by this as well – my thought was they would do CT of chest/abdomen and MRI of brain before going to the PET scan. I will be discussing scan frequency/type/plan with my oncologost tomorrow after the PET. Will post back my findings.

                          Kevin

                              

                          • May 20, 2014 at 3:18 pm
                          Mat
                          Participant

                            I'm on the GSK combo.  I get CT scans (chest, abdomen, pelvis) every 8 weeks.  I also get an MRI of the brain–at this point in my treatment, at my insistence.  I did have a small brain tumor in August 2013 that was gamma knifed, so this probably makes the insurance approval easier.  Regarding your post, I was diagnosed Stage IV in July 2013.  I've never once had a CT of my head or neck (only MRI of those locations)–nor has any doctor suggested it.  (Not excited about getting radiation in those areas if avoidable.)  Although not relevant to your post, I've also not had a PET scan since my Stage IV diagnosis.

                            • May 20, 2014 at 3:18 pm
                            Mat
                            Participant

                              I'm on the GSK combo.  I get CT scans (chest, abdomen, pelvis) every 8 weeks.  I also get an MRI of the brain–at this point in my treatment, at my insistence.  I did have a small brain tumor in August 2013 that was gamma knifed, so this probably makes the insurance approval easier.  Regarding your post, I was diagnosed Stage IV in July 2013.  I've never once had a CT of my head or neck (only MRI of those locations)–nor has any doctor suggested it.  (Not excited about getting radiation in those areas if avoidable.)  Although not relevant to your post, I've also not had a PET scan since my Stage IV diagnosis.

                              • May 20, 2014 at 3:18 pm
                              Mat
                              Participant

                                I'm on the GSK combo.  I get CT scans (chest, abdomen, pelvis) every 8 weeks.  I also get an MRI of the brain–at this point in my treatment, at my insistence.  I did have a small brain tumor in August 2013 that was gamma knifed, so this probably makes the insurance approval easier.  Regarding your post, I was diagnosed Stage IV in July 2013.  I've never once had a CT of my head or neck (only MRI of those locations)–nor has any doctor suggested it.  (Not excited about getting radiation in those areas if avoidable.)  Although not relevant to your post, I've also not had a PET scan since my Stage IV diagnosis.

                                • May 20, 2014 at 3:51 pm
                                Gene_S
                                Participant

                                  My Husband has not has a pet scan since his stage IV diagnosis but has had several MRI's.  He was told that a Pet scan would not show tumors in the brain because the brain is so active it lights up most of the time from a pet scan.  He has been stage IV since Oct. of 2010 and became NED in October 2012 after joining the clinical trial in March 2011 of Ipi and GM-CSF.  He has never had a brain met but did have the liver, lungs and an unresectable pushing on the cervical spine at C1-C2 area and then sub-q's near this area.

                                  Judy (loving wife of Gene Stage IV and now NED)

                                  • May 20, 2014 at 3:51 pm
                                  Gene_S
                                  Participant

                                    My Husband has not has a pet scan since his stage IV diagnosis but has had several MRI's.  He was told that a Pet scan would not show tumors in the brain because the brain is so active it lights up most of the time from a pet scan.  He has been stage IV since Oct. of 2010 and became NED in October 2012 after joining the clinical trial in March 2011 of Ipi and GM-CSF.  He has never had a brain met but did have the liver, lungs and an unresectable pushing on the cervical spine at C1-C2 area and then sub-q's near this area.

                                    Judy (loving wife of Gene Stage IV and now NED)

                                    • May 20, 2014 at 3:51 pm
                                    Gene_S
                                    Participant

                                      My Husband has not has a pet scan since his stage IV diagnosis but has had several MRI's.  He was told that a Pet scan would not show tumors in the brain because the brain is so active it lights up most of the time from a pet scan.  He has been stage IV since Oct. of 2010 and became NED in October 2012 after joining the clinical trial in March 2011 of Ipi and GM-CSF.  He has never had a brain met but did have the liver, lungs and an unresectable pushing on the cervical spine at C1-C2 area and then sub-q's near this area.

                                      Judy (loving wife of Gene Stage IV and now NED)

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