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Anyone had a full body scan when they have prostate cancer?
Has anyone ever had a full body scan when they have prostate cancer? Would it be beneficial?
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Has anyone ever had a full body scan when they have prostate cancer? Would it be beneficial?
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Prostate Cancer Support Group.
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@mjp0512 My PSMA started at my head.
@topf
For my husband too . I thought it always includes head too but it seems that in some places it is different *huh
@topf - My scans actually started just above the lower jaw and ran to just above the knee. I was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma via biopsy prior to the scan. If it was small cell carcinoma or neuroendocrine carcinoma, scan would have included the brain and been coupled with MRI (I asked). Adenocarcinoma very, very rarely metastasizes to the brain and then usually only after it is identified in other organs like lungs and liver first. (Or so I was told)
@gkgdawg, MRI of the hip. Call any of his doctors and get the order by phone. Abiraterone can cause joint inflammation and bone loss, but helps prevent metastasis to the bone. Orgovyx can cause both muscle and bone loss.
If he hasn't had a dexa for bone health, he should have one. Again you should be able to get the requisition by a phone call.
Are you having follow-up PSA labs?
Was his cancer intense enough to required continued ADT?
The radiation beams can often pass through the hip bones and/or adjacent to them. Radiation itself can be destructive to bone.
You might not want to wait. If you call tomorrow morning, have them send you a copy of the requisitions. That way you can call around to find the earliest appointments.
PSMA PET/CT scans are standard of care at major cancer centers if MRI & biopsy show cancer. My PSMA PET/CT scan was from "Scull base to mid thigh"
I had a PSMA PET/CT. This is an advanced imaging test that injects a radioactive tracer to target the prostate-specific membrane antigen protein, allowing doctors to detect prostate cancer growth or spread with significantly higher accuracy than traditional CT or bone scans. My test was done because my biopsy showed cribriform cells, which are often associated with metastasis. I encourage you to discuss this with your provider. Mayo Clinic has an article on their website called "PSMA PET scan for prostate cancer" which has some very good information about the test.