Aa
Pet scans
I believe I could have thyroid cancer. I want to find out if a petscan will show this. I have had thyroid disease foe several years and no improvements. I need to know if I should ask for this test/
PET scans use radioactive glucose which many types of cancer use (they use a lot of energy). The most common thyroid cancers (papillary and follicular) are made of thyroid tissue which absorbs iodine so radioactive iodine is a *much* better way to find these cancers than radioactive glucose. Papillary carcinoma (the most frequent of the thyroid cancers) often has "micro cancers" which wouldn't show as much of anything.
A thyroid ultrasound is the standard imaging technique to see if there is a suspicious nodule in the thyroid. If there is, a FNA could be ordered (but often have false negative results). If it is suspected that there is thyroid cancer elsewhere in the body a radioactive iodine (I-131 or I-123) scan could show if there is thyroid tissue/cancer elsewhere.
Talk to a good endocrinologist who specializes in thyroid disorders and ask for a thyroid ultrasound.
Utahmomma
papillary carcinoma '03
recurrence and RAI '06 and possibly '08
three sisters with papillary carcinoma; another with atypical thyroid and daughter with atypical thyroid
A thyroid ultrasound is the standard imaging technique to see if there is a suspicious nodule in the thyroid. If there is, a FNA could be ordered (but often have false negative results). If it is suspected that there is thyroid cancer elsewhere in the body a radioactive iodine (I-131 or I-123) scan could show if there is thyroid tissue/cancer elsewhere.
Talk to a good endocrinologist who specializes in thyroid disorders and ask for a thyroid ultrasound.
Utahmomma
papillary carcinoma '03
recurrence and RAI '06 and possibly '08
three sisters with papillary carcinoma; another with atypical thyroid and daughter with atypical thyroid
The best way to find out if you have thyroid cancer is to have a fine needle aspiration. A PET is considered experimental for thyroid cancer and it is rare to be used in diagnosing it.
Have you ever been tested for Hashimoto's? If you have been hypo for some time with little improvement, having Hashi's could explain why.
When I was dxed with thyca, I had been told 3 years prior I had only hypothyroid. After my first surgery (following a positive FNA), I indeed had thyca but also was discovered I had Hashi's. I had no hypo or thyca symptoms when I went to my doctor (only when because I was bleeding in the middle of my pill pack)...so it was pure coincidence that it was found (well, I know it was because of God!).
I assume you have an endocrinologist who specializes in thyroid dysfunction?
Best of luck,
Cutthroat
Have you ever been tested for Hashimoto's? If you have been hypo for some time with little improvement, having Hashi's could explain why.
When I was dxed with thyca, I had been told 3 years prior I had only hypothyroid. After my first surgery (following a positive FNA), I indeed had thyca but also was discovered I had Hashi's. I had no hypo or thyca symptoms when I went to my doctor (only when because I was bleeding in the middle of my pill pack)...so it was pure coincidence that it was found (well, I know it was because of God!).
I assume you have an endocrinologist who specializes in thyroid dysfunction?
Best of luck,
Cutthroat
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