How does a CT differ from a PET scan?

Question

Hi doctor,

I have completed five months of chemotherapy with Bendamustine. I have had three treatments of Truxima, and I am in remission. Now the doctor asks for a CT scan, not a PET scan. I am kind of concerned, why the CT scan over a PET scan?

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have read your query, and I am sorry for cancer.

It is good to read that you are in the remission phase of the disease. Usually, PET CT (positron emission and computed tomography) scans are helpful in cases where disease transformation is suspected, as a transformed disease will have more FDG (fluorodeoxyglucose) than indolent disease or for confirmation of early-stage disease.

For disease transformation, it means histologic transformation to another type of NHL (non-Hodgkin's lymphoma). Usually staging is typically done with CT (computed tomography) scans. I think it is good that CT (computed tomography) scan would be done compared to PET CT but why I do not know.

It would be better to ask your treating doctor about the clinical decision for doing a CT scan in the remission phase of the disease.

Please follow up if you have any further related queries about it.

Thanks.

Answer 2

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

You have mentioned leg edema while driving long distance.

1) Do you drive occasionally or on regular basis? Most probable cause would be due to gravity pull while keeping legs in downward manner for long time. While sleeping in the night try to keep few pillows below leg to reduce edema of the leg and avoid prolonged standing or keeping leg in downward manner.

2) Do you have hypothyroidism? The evaluation of cause of edema should be done ideally if edema is recurrent in nature. I can guide you many causes of edema of the lower limb but I need medical history to eliminate causes and guide medication for edema

3) What problem do you get after taking Furosemide for edema?

4) Do you get cramps in the leg?

If the cause is known through medical evaluation then edema of the leg can treated with appropriate medication along with diuretic medication. Usually for short term treatment tablet Dytor or Furosemide is advised but you should seek medical evaluation if there is recurrence in edema.

Please reply to above questions and add medical history detail to guide you better sir.

Thanks.