question re: PET scan and neck lymph

[trudys]

Hello and thank you in advance for all your help in this matter.
My husband has secondary lymph. (from surgery and radiation) that can NOT be manually drained and is hard to the touch,and extremely painful.
His doctor wants him to have a PET scan, with radioactive material going into the body will the material pool in the neck like the lymph does?? Has anyone here had a PET scan and what were the side effects?? Does anyone know of a web site that addresses on this that I can print for his doctor. His doctors do not understand why we are concerned they only want him to have test done regardless of the possible side effects.

[patoco]

Hi Trudy

Super welcome to the family

I was born with primary lymphedema and in 1995 also was diagnosed with lymphoma. Since that time, I have had so many CT scans that Ic ouldn't even count them.

Thus far, I have never had any type of reaction to the tracer they use. Also, with so many of our members having cancer and secondary lymphedema, none have eve reported any difficulty from their scans, so it should be quite safe for him.

Pat

[trudys]

Thank you for response,
He has had CT scan that is not what concerns us, it is the PET scan . With the PET scan they inject radioactive dye into body, from what I understand the same machine is used but with CT no radioactive material is used onlly contrast material.
Please respond

[patoco]

Hi Again

I also have had many many PET (meant to say that) scans and the same goes for that too.

Never had any reaction or problem from either the test or the tracer. Never bothered my lymphedema at all

Pat