Dual PET Tracer

     Lung cancer is the most common cancer-related cause of death among men and women. Lung cancer can be undetected for many years causing it to become more dangerous and possibly fatal. There is not cure for lung cancer or any cancer, but if detected in an early stage the lung cancer can be detected, treated, and hopefully terminated. There are many new and developing treatments being tested now that may save lives in the future. Through understanding what the lung cancer is, doctors can easily diagnose and assess cancer patients.

A 65 year-old woman with known COPD on inhalers presented with a one-month history of a cough and increased shortness of breath. Lung function revealed FEV1 1.40 (54% predicted), TLCO (63% predicted) and patient performance status was 1. She proceeded to have staging CT scan/PET scan/EBUS and investigations all revealed final diagnosis stage IIIA T3N2M0 Non small cell lung cancer squamous (NSCLC).

The PET scanning is particularly useful in detecting cancer because most cancer cells use more glucose than normal tissues. In lung cancer, pet scans are sometimes used to observe for cancer in particular areas such as the lymph nodes, in the chest or to demonstrate the spreading activity of cancer cells to other areas the body. This would help the doctor to take a further decision about the treatment of a

For many years now, the fusion of a PET/CT scanner has proven to show its benefits in staging lung carcinoma, especially NSCLC. Lung cancer staging is done with the TMN staging system. The T refers to the size of the primary tumor and whether it has invaded local tissue. A few studies have shown that PET alone or CT with contrast, is not as accurate as combined PET/CT for the T staging of NSCLC (B, M, N). Pawaroo et al. showed that the PET aspect of PET/CT is useful for outlining the primary tumor volume, especially if there is atelectasis or invasion into the mediastinum. However, PET/CT is less accurate if the subtype is a bronchoalveolar adenocarcinoma (Pawaroo).

According to recent studies at Indiana Universty School of Medicine, alternative methods for detecting non-small cell lung cancer are emerging. The current methods of detecting NSCLC may be effective, but they are also very expensive. One method called a low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) has been successful in identifying malignant tumors. However, routine LDCT screenings would result in 1.3 to 2 billion dollars nationally in health care costs annually. Deig, Mendonca, and Lautenschlaeger suggest that pursuing other methods of screening for NSCLC would significantly decrease this cost. If screenings could be conducted in a cost efficient and effective manner, then the expensive LDCT procedure would only have to be conducted for patients who

The theme of this journal article was to explain to the audience the various sub types of non-small cell lung cancer, its risk factors, and the different procedures a patient has to undergo in order for them to be diagnosed with cancer. It does a great job answering a vast amount of questions the audience can have regarding the disease itself, the procedures used for prognosis and diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer, and/ or the treatment available for patients with this disease. Overall, this report was very well detailed and provided the audience with a lot of

A computed tomography scan provides more detail images than a chest x-ray by creating cross sectional images, this images can help identify enlarge organs or lymph nodes in the neck, chest, abdomen and chest (American Cancer Society). During this test the patient is lays on a flat table that moves in and out of a donut shaped scanner that takes images in different angles. Sometimes contrast medium may be used to highlight abnormal areas in the body. If contrast medium is used, it is the nurse’s responsibility to establish a patent IV, check for iodine allergies, check for kidney function due to contrast nephrotoxicity, check for delay allergies after the procedure, and advise the patient to drink plenty of fluids to eliminate contrast (Leeuwen, Anne 2015). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is only used when spread to the spinal cord and brain are suspected (American Cancer Society). Positron emission tomography (PET) scan uses an IV contrast called fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), this contrast is a form of glucose, and because cancer cells reproduce quickly they need more glucose, which is why this contrast highlights the areas where abnormal cells are (Cancer Society). PET scans can be used to monitor how well patients are responding to treatment therapies, they can help identify areas of the body with lymphoma that may appear clear in other tests such as biopsies or CT scans allowing patients to

The symptoms of non-small-cell lung cancer is hard to be noticed in the early stages,

As a diagnosis and imaging procedure, PET has many uses in the medical field [23]. Its most common utilization being related to oncological detection [23]. However, a PET scan is also used to determine the malignancy of a tumor, or to establish the stage that a particular cancer has reached [23]. This information is ascertainable due to observations about the metabolic uptake of the glucose radiotracer [23]. A PET scan is utilized to detect all types of cancers, from lymphoma to melanoma, and from breast to bladder [24].

Positron-Emission Tomography (PET) scan is a medical test that allows doctors to check the human body for any diseases. Doctors use the PET scan for many things, the main uses are checking for cancer, heart-related (Cardiovascular) diseases and brain (neurological) diseases. It also allows doctors to check organs and tissues and to see how they are working. PET scanners are a way of tracking diseases, using radioactive tracking that is injected into a vein in your arm, that is then absorbed by your organs and tissues.

All patients were following low carb diet two days prior to the examination day and came in the examination day fasting 6 hours prior to the administration of radiotracer. They purpose of let them follow a low carb diet is that a glucose level less than 140mg/dl was required. An injection of 18F-FDG (8 MBq/Kg) was given to patients. Then, CT images were acquired. After that, PET scan was performed.

Diagnostic Imaging is extremely relevant in today’s medical treatments. Doctors have a variety of different imaging and scans techniques that help diagnose, evaluate, and treat patients. The PET scan stands for Positron Emission Tomography and is a nuclear imaging test that shows metabolic activities of the brain. Unlike a CT, MRI and X-ray that scan to image the anatomy of the brain the PET scan image is an image of how the brain is functioning. A PET scan Uses Positron radiation combined with gamma ray wavelengths. A PET scan is used for various parts of body tissue including the brain, heart, and other large organs. According to John Hopkins Medicine “PET is most often used by oncologists (doctors specializing in cancer treatment),

|Specific Purpose: |To inform readers on the causes, effects and treatments of lung cancer. |

“Positron emission tomography (PET) is a unique test that uses positron emitters. It can be used in different parts of the body. PET scanning can be combined with anatomical imaging such as CT and MRI, which enhanced the usefulness of the PET. The PET scanning test are essential tools to diagnose various kind of diseases with abnormal characteristics. PET can be use in Oncology routinely. In Neurology, PET is used to determine the diagnosis of dementia by detecting beta-amyloid in the brain. In cardiology, it measures cardiac perfusion and assesses pathogenesis of intractable cardiac pathology (Batsuri, 2015).

The lung cancer survival rate is less than other cancers, it’s estimated to be 17.8% in comparison to 65.4% for colon cancer, 90.5% for breast cancer and 99.6% for prostate cancer (USNIH, 2011). The lung cancer staging is a determinant of the patient’s five-year survival rate, for patients who have localized lung cancer the survival rate is 54%. Just 15% of lung cancer patients is diagnosed during early stages of the disease, but most of the people who diagnosed with lung cancer die within the first year of diagnosis (USNIH, 2011).