|
Results of a Ovarian Cancer PET/CT Exam
PET/CT use a small amount of a radioactive drug, which is normally FDG: a tracer
in combination with a compound such as glucose. Once injected the FDG tracer
travels through the body.
FDG emits signals as it travels and eventually collects in the organs targeted
for examination. If an area in an organ is cancerous, the signals will be stronger
(as shown on the images) since more glucose will be absorbed in those areas.
Your physician or surgeon will pick up theses stronger images.
In ovarian cancer, the tumor will take up more of the radioactive glucose than
healthy tissue and again be seen more ‘brightly’ by the surgeon.
In ovarian cancer, PET/CT is very useful in staging how far into the ovaries
the tumor has grown and whether or not it has spread beyond it,
CT scanning looks at the size of the tumour and PET is determines if cancerous
cells are alive in that area. In a whole-body scan, the PET scan can look throughout
your whole body to see if there are any clumps of the cancer cells that have
spread, and the CT can build up an accurate location picture that is superimposed
over the PET results, thus aiding complete accuracy in staging and location
of a cancer.
PET scan can make the difference in determining whether surgery should be done
as well as chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Also another benefit of the PET scan is that it can locate cancerous cells
after surgery, aiding post-treatment of ovarian cancer, as well as any reoccurring
cancers that can materialize, as is often the case.
|
