PET Scan

Hi Dave,

First something I noticed in your Bio. You say you were to have 39 fractions of RT but were only given 37. You had the standard amount for the UK according to NICE guidelines and I have not heard of anybody having more fractions as a course for a number of years. There is a move to reduce this to 19 or 20 fractions of higher dose though.

As regards your possible Choline PET scan you don't notice any significant difference between this and having the usual contrast that is added.  However, Choline has a very short life and mostly where the scan is done it is prepared offsite specifically for the recipient and rushed to the hospital.  Few if any UK hospitals have the necessary synchrotron  or cyclotron to produce it yet.  Unfortunately, it often fails a quality control check and another batch has to be made up.  I and other members at UCLH in London have experienced such a failure so be prepared for this. (I was lucky that the second batch made for me was OK but one member here who traveled quite a way for the scan and the choline was not of acceptable standard then stayed in London overnight for the scan next day). 

I spoke with the radiographer about the scan and he said that MRI with Choline was better for Prostate so this is what he would give me.  The uptake of choline  helps show where the cancer is although not definitively, as results are subject to interpretation as mine were when sent to other hospitals. who had a different opinion.

Please let us know how you get on and what further treatment you have.

Edited by member 27 Oct 2017 at 14:44  | Reason: Not specified

Hi
Please click my picture and read my profile. I had prostate removal surgery at 48 but very rapid rising psa unfortunately. They gave me a Choline PET at psa 2.2 but ideally your psa needs to be over 3. They found nothing in the scan. I had 3 visits to Oxford before they got it right as Barry says. I then went on HT for a year but came off to let the psa rise again so I could have a PSMA PET scan at London. I had two cancellations there also. The scan again found nothing. I’m not sure of the reliability of the injections:markers tbh.
I’m presently off any treatment at all and just letting it grow but living a normal life as best I can. Reserving further HT and Chemo for when anything is found.

You then wait in the room for a while to let the injection over to the right places.

You are told to be careful with your urine output for a short time, any spillage will be radioactive.

I had two scans one after the other. First one of the whole body, second one a more detailed look at the pelvic area.

I found lying in the scanner with my arms up past my head for forty minutes very uncomfortable.

As Barry has said the production of choline is difficult and has a low yield.

My first scan was cancelled because the yield had been so poor it would have been useless.

They made new material the next morning and I had my scan that afternoon.

Best wishes, Ian.

I eventually had the PET Scan at the end of July.

My PET Scan result indicated metastasis in right side of my Ischium.....being referred to Nottingham for possibility high dose RT, 3 to 5 sessions which my Oncologist says will postpone going back on HT.

Is or has anyone had the same circumstances ?

PSA risen from 2.7 at the end of May to 12.8 at the end of July.

Not sure about all of this but should find out more after my first appointment on Monday when I see the Bone Cancer Specialist, have a CT Scan and have the RT planning session.

Has anyone been in the same circumstances ?.....any advice or information would be appreciated.

Regards to all

Dayo