Anyone gotten a PET scan as a preventive practice?

[Pheedno]

I'm pushing 40 and really would like to get some kind of overall full body scan(s) to keep on top of things. I can get an out of pocket cost for about $1300 and was thinking about it.
I just don't know if that would be overkill or if there was another scan(CT or full body MRI) that would be better for this purpose.
My blood work, which is quite detailed, is quite good. BP is good. No symptoms of anything. Just piece of mind, really.

 

[thethinker48]

All I’ll say is to be a little cautious of full body scans.

You can end up chasing demons that aren’t really there.

Seems like you’re doing things right with the bloodwork and bp.


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[HOOLIGAN]

All I’ll say is to be a little cautious of full body scans.

You can end up chasing demons that aren’t really there.

Seems like you’re doing things right with the bloodwork and bp.


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This is kind of what is happening to me.
I had a Total body scan done last year. It showed mild artherosclerosis which prompted me to see a cardiologist and get checked out. That was a good thing. I've made some lifestyle/dietary changes to address it the best I can.

It also showed a very small nodule in my right lung for which I'm having follow up scans done every 6 months. I've now had 2 follow up scans done with zero change in the nodule. The next scan will be done in 1 year.
It doesn't have the characteristics of anything bad but has caused me an enormous amount of stress and anxiety.

 

[Pheedno]

This is kind of what is happening to me.
I had a Total body scan done last year. It showed mild artherosclerosis which prompted me to see a cardiologist and get checked out. That was a good thing. I've made some lifestyle/dietary changes to address it the best I can.

It also showed a very small nodule in my right lung for which I'm having follow up scans done every 6 months. I've now had 2 follow up scans done with zero change in the nodule. The next scan will be done in 1 year.
It doesn't have the characteristics of anything bad but has caused me an enormous amount of stress and anxiety.

Yeah, I could see that going that way. All 4 of my grandparents had/died of cancer and my Dad is currently stage 4 lymphoma. Any small thing popped up and I'd probably want a scan all the time

 

[TheOtherOne55]

All I’ll say is to be a little cautious of full body scans.

You can end up chasing demons that aren’t really there.

Seems like you’re doing things right with the bloodwork and bp.


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As important as this shit is I do have to agree.
I know several people who had their heart looked at only to be told they have some form of cardiomyopathy. And none of these guys have any previous scans do PRE-gear usage. And immediately, every single one of these guys freak out without thinking about genetic predisposition, the fact that basically ANY high profile athlete has some form of Cardiomyopathy as well, etc.

I honestly think the future of health care is getting baseline medical readings done when we are all say 18....get a baseline of what the fuck our bodies are doing. And then every 5 or so years we get other ones. We'd be able to see changes, based on our lifestyle, and exactly how they have come about internally. As of right now we are playing a "we have no idea, so everyone be scared" game.

 

[j2048b]

Ive priced out a few places, emailed them and never heard back, gonna have to call them all and for like 5bills or so get a head to toe

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[Bio]

I would be most interested in a Cardiac CT, also known as Calcium CT.

 

[alfresco]

All I’ll say is to be a little cautious of full body scans.
You can end up chasing demons that aren’t really there.
Seems like you’re doing things right with the bloodwork and bp.

Yea, I get your point about chasing demons. But sometimes they
catch something that otherwise would have gone unnoticed. It’s
a crap shoot right now but in the future (my prediction) as the
costs go down (?) for CT scans and diagnostic tools improve me
thinks we will see more of total body scans as a way of lowering
long term medical costs.

I would be most interested in a Cardiac CT, also known as Calcium CT.

Excellent choice. Highly recommended.

I had one done as a ‘preventive’ measure, prescribed by my doctor.
Score was 0, have stainless steel for arteries. My cholesterol hovers
around 220, HDL / LDL not great but adequate but with the score
of 0 I don’t get my cholesterol checked but every 5 years (no heart
disease running in the family).

 

[Pissbrainiac259]

I'm pushing 40 and really would like to get some kind of overall full body scan(s) to keep on top of things. I can get an out of pocket cost for about $1300 and was thinking about it.
I just don't know if that would be overkill or if there was another scan(CT or full body MRI) that would be better for this purpose.
My blood work, which is quite detailed, is quite good. BP is good. No symptoms of anything. Just piece of mind, really.

With the exception of catastrophic trauma cases due to certain mechanisms of injury, have yet to hear of a single pan-man scan ordered as part of a routine +/- general patient workup. Why? Just refer to the astute comment made by thethinker48 as he precisely nailed the rationale. Well done sir.

 

[Pissbrainiac259]

This is kind of what is happening to me.
I had a Total body scan done last year. It showed mild artherosclerosis which prompted me to see a cardiologist and get checked out. That was a good thing. I've made some lifestyle/dietary changes to address it the best I can.

It also showed a very small nodule in my right lung for which I'm having follow up scans done every 6 months. I've now had 2 follow up scans done with zero change in the nodule. The next scan will be done in 1 year.
It doesn't have the characteristics of anything bad but has caused me an enormous amount of stress and anxiety.

A solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN) is a finding common enough that they are called "incidentalomas". Depending on the characteristic features of the SPN, statistically, 70% are benign and 30% are malignant. If the pt is < 30 y/o when a SPN is initially found, ~2% of cases are malignant. For every decade > 30 y/o when a SPN is initially found, the probability of it being malignant increases by ~15%.

 

[Kaladryn]

I would be most interested in a Cardiac CT, also known as Calcium CT.

Make sure the facility is using a low radiation logarithm designed for calcium scoring only, not the higher dose vs that is often sold as the same and only used on people with cardiac issues.

A study from Kim KP, et al. has found significant variability in the radiation doses delivered at different sites performing CAC scoring with radiation doses ranging from 1 to even as high as 8–10 mSv [2]. Thus, the benefits of coronary artery calcium quantification should be weighted against the risks of exposure to ionizing radiation [1].

 

[gotgame]

I do not know of any place that would offer a PET CT without a script and just allow someone to pay out of pocket. I can think of a few laws preventing that in the states that ive worked in. Although i am not familar with the laws in every state

You can however may for a noncontrast "full body" CT or MRI out of pocket. its not really full body but chest, ab, and pelvis.

I could argue it either way... I can say one of the groups i do some work for does offer them and I do read them. I have found quite a few things which have saved patients lives like early renal cancer, lung nodule that was spiculated and turned out to cancer, i caught pancreatic cancer, renal stones that were too big to pass, uhhh we also always do coronary calcium scoring with it so thats important. its decent for athletes as ill get a good look at lower back and hips.

But at age 40...ehh.. probably not... I will say i have scanned both of my parents who are in there late 60's.

Cardiac calcium which comes with it at our place has certainly benefitted a few bbers if scanned who were surprised at the amount of calcium given there age and cardiomegaly in a few.

with all that being said...ive been pan scanned numerous times lol

 

[EWRECK]

I would be most interested in a Cardiac CT, also known as Calcium CT.

I am getting one today. 175.00. I’ve blown cash in worse ways. Fuckin Beanie Babies.

 

[Kaladryn]

Really good article on CT calcium scoring, mine also didn't require a script and cost me $99, I had a calcium score of 0, but as the article states, this only means my plaque isn't calcified, I could still have plaque only blockage that is severe, that blockage can be up to 70% and not show up on an echo either...

https://www.healio.com/cardiology/learn-the-heart/blogs/coronary-calcium-score---no-doctors-order

 

[bigraf]

I would be most interested in a Cardiac CT, also known as Calcium CT.

[emoji3516]


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[gotgame]

I am getting one today. 175.00. I’ve blown cash in worse ways. Fuckin Beanie Babies.

Good choice.

While true that we dont really "care" about calcified plaque its the noncalcified plaque that will kill you..there is a correltation between them thus its used as a screening tool.

Almost every place will allow you to pay out of pocket for a cardiac calcium score without a script. I think my office charges 200 or something like that.

Also, maybe sure they give you a copy of your CD or access to your images online. Its useful to look at your lungs and your overall heart size.

 

[suppdude]

For these types of scans regarding plaque, heart, etc, should we be taking 3+ days off from the gym, same as for blood work?

 

[maldorf]

Good choice.

While true that we dont really "care" about calcified plaque its the noncalcified plaque that will kill you..there is a correltation between them thus its used as a screening tool.

Almost every place will allow you to pay out of pocket for a cardiac calcium score without a script. I think my office charges 200 or something like that.

Also, maybe sure they give you a copy of your CD or access to your images online. Its useful to look at your lungs and your overall heart size.

Its the non calcified plaques that can break open/off and then cause a blood clot, right? they think that is what happened to me, although I didn't/don't have any significant narrowing of my coronaries.

 

[thethinker48]

This is kind of what is happening to me.
I had a Total body scan done last year. It showed mild artherosclerosis which prompted me to see a cardiologist and get checked out. That was a good thing. I've made some lifestyle/dietary changes to address it the best I can.

It also showed a very small nodule in my right lung for which I'm having follow up scans done every 6 months. I've now had 2 follow up scans done with zero change in the nodule. The next scan will be done in 1 year.
It doesn't have the characteristics of anything bad but has caused me an enormous amount of stress and anxiety.

There's a bad radiology joke in there somewhere...

Hope it continues to be nothing, and your mind eases up on the anxiety.

 

[gotgame]

There's a bad radiology joke in there somewhere...

Hope it continues to be nothing, and your mind eases up on the anxiety.

lol gotta love fleischner