CAT & PET scan [Archive]

peter34uk

02-01-11, 18:32

Hi all,

My dad has Emphysema. He's had it for a few years and was recently taken into hospital due to a flu infection which affected his breathing.

Since then he has had a CAT scan which showed a golf ball size shadow in his chest.

He's now had a PET scan and goes for the results on 14th Jan.

Now I'm thinking cancer, but is it possible or even probable it could be something else? An infection perhaps??

Any advice would be greatly welcomed.

Many thanks.

Stav_98

02-01-11, 18:36

Of course. If it was a foregone conclusion then there wouldn't be the additional requirement for the additional test etc. Also I'd imagine if they thought odds were on it's a nasty then they wouldn't hang around for two weeks to get the results.

peter34uk

02-01-11, 19:41

ah thanks.

The shadow worries me.

Stav_98

02-01-11, 20:24

Would worry anybody but it could be fluid amongst other things.

countrygirl

02-01-11, 20:31

A friend of my mothers had all the tests and the Drs and herself was convinced she had lung cancer as she had been a lifelong smoker and was in her mid 60's at time - she even had one lung removed and had to wait three weeks for the histology report expecting to have to have chemo as well and at the end of it all the " thing " in her lung turned out to be some very deep infection - she is fine with only one lung and was not annoyed at losing her lung as the infection was so bad and deep it would have been impossible to treat any other way. There is always the chance it is infection and I think the PET scan will tell them what it is.

crazyhayz

02-01-11, 23:14

If this was infact cancer, they would of known straight away when they PET scanned him...and wouldnt of let him out of hospital...they would have admitted him straight away to get further testing in hospital and start things like chemo for example.

I think its very highly unlikely that this is cancer. My friend who recovered from thyroid cancer last year was told there and then that it was cancer and kept her in, didnt even let her leave hospital...i should think it would be the same for ur dad.

Of course if it is cancer, then to leave it two weeks is pretty bad, but they may have reasons as to why theve left it so long to start treatment.

All the best, fingers crossed for u x