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Is a CT Scan the best way for noninvasive diagnosis of Pancreatic Canc

Posted by elise24 @elise24, Jan 8 8:44am

I have IPMNs in my pancreas and recently had an MRI that showed a they had grown. I am having pain in my left side of my abdomen. What is the best noninvasive test to help diagnose Pancreatic cancer? Would it be a specific type of CT scan or is there a type of MRI that is better?
Thank you.

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sheridanb | @sheridanb | Jan 8 12:09pm

I'm not a doctor or medical person, but really wish in hindsight that we had known about the blood test CA19-9 when my husband was in early stages of diagnosis. Our doctors didn't do it (including a second opinion doctor from Cleveland Clinic) and that was a huge mistake as my husband was given chemo treatments for lung cancer... which did nothing since he had pancreatic cancer. His correct treatments were delayed by nearly 6 months because of this error. So, I would ask for that blood test. Normal numbers are less than 35... my husband's numbers were above 39,000.... which even to a non medical person makes a statement.

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wjk | @wjk | 6 days ago

I've had 3 types of imaging along the way of my 20 month tussle with adenocarcinoma at the head of my pancreas that impinged upon and grew into my Common Bile Duct.... CT Scan, PET Scan, and MRI. Also, there are variations of these three types of imaging. Why not ask your oncologist or radiologist would yield the best initial diagnostic result?
Here are a couple among many online resources that might help you answer your question:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10968852/
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/4876-magnetic-resonance-imaging-mri

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1 reply
elise24 | @elise24 | 5 days ago
In reply to @wjk "I've had 3 types of imaging along the way of my 20 month tussle with adenocarcinoma..." + (show)
@wjk

I've had 3 types of imaging along the way of my 20 month tussle with adenocarcinoma at the head of my pancreas that impinged upon and grew into my Common Bile Duct.... CT Scan, PET Scan, and MRI. Also, there are variations of these three types of imaging. Why not ask your oncologist or radiologist would yield the best initial diagnostic result?
Here are a couple among many online resources that might help you answer your question:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10968852/
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diagnostics/4876-magnetic-resonance-imaging-mri

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Thank you so much for your reply. I pray that things are going well for you. That is a very good idea to ask my radiologist about what the best type of scan would be for diagnosis. Thank you!

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elise24 | @elise24 | 5 days ago
In reply to @sheridanb "I'm not a doctor or medical person, but really wish in hindsight that we had known..." + (show)
@sheridanb

I'm not a doctor or medical person, but really wish in hindsight that we had known about the blood test CA19-9 when my husband was in early stages of diagnosis. Our doctors didn't do it (including a second opinion doctor from Cleveland Clinic) and that was a huge mistake as my husband was given chemo treatments for lung cancer... which did nothing since he had pancreatic cancer. His correct treatments were delayed by nearly 6 months because of this error. So, I would ask for that blood test. Normal numbers are less than 35... my husband's numbers were above 39,000.... which even to a non medical person makes a statement.

Jump to this post

Thank you for your reply. I am so sorry to hear that about your husband’s misdiagnosis. I appreciate the information about the CA 19-9 blood test.
I sincerely hope that things are going better.
Thanks again.

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