July 24, 2001--
Many oncologists are excited that they now have a new, better way to tell if cancer has spread throughout the body.
And the way this new cancer scan works
is fascinating.
It's nicknamed the "Pet Scan", and it's different from all the
other imaging techniques.
Doctor Tom Hopkins reports.
Jerry Antrum/ Cancer Patient: "If it's my time then I'm ready, but I have a will to live and I fight."
HE'S ARMED WITH FAITH, FAMILY SUPPORT, AND THE BELIEF THAT KNOWLEDGE IS POWER.
TODAY JERRY ANTRUM WILL FIND OUT IF HIS CANCER HAS RETURNED.
Dr. Louis Sobol/ U.C. Davis Oncologist:
"Sometimes that tumor, it's very close to the brain, very close to the eyes. So
it can, you know, hide."
JERRY WORE HIS SUPER-HERO SHIRT FOR THE OCCASION.
"That's my man!"
BUT POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY, OR THE "PET SCAN", MAKES EVEN HIS SUPER
HERO'S X-RAY VISION SEEM PRIMITIVE.
Dr. Peter Valk, Northern California Pet imaging:
"In about a third to two thirds of the patients in whom the ct is negative, the
pet actually shows you a recurrent tumor. So that allows patients to be treated
earlier."
FIRST, JERRY GETS AN INJECTION.
"It's a radioactive form of glucose, like sugar that you eat everyday, and it
won't make you feel any different at all."
THEN HE'S USHERED INTO THE PET SCAN IMAGING ROOM, AND HELPED INTO THE MACHINE.
"All set there? I'm ready."
IT'S MUCH DIFFERENT FROM CAT SCANS AND MRI'S, WHICH OUTLINE BUMPS AND LUMPS
THAT SHOULDN'T BE THERE.
Dr. Valk's voice:
"Those technologies show you the structure of things while the pet shows you
the function of things."
THE PET SCAN ACTUALLY TRACKS CELL METABOLISM. YOU SEE, CANCER CELLS EAT SUGAR
MUCH MORE QUICKLY THAN HEALTHY CELLS.
SO THE MACHINE LOOKS FOR TISSUE THAT'S EATING THE RADIOACTIVE GLUCOSE AT A HIGH
RATE, AND HIGHLIGHTS THAT AREA.
Dr. Louis Sobol/ U.C. Davis Oncologist:
"I think it's an evolving technology and it may turn out to be very useful in
cancer care."
ONE WOMAN'S PET SCAN SHOWS MANY DARK AREAS WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE BREAST
CANCER. AND THIS VERY IMAGE WAS TAKEN JUST AFTER HER CT, ULTRASOUND AND
MAMMOGRAM SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF DISEASE.
Ruth Tesar / Northern California Pet Imaging:
"So essentially, the physician will not do a surgery when they're looking for
certain types of tumors before they have a pet scan."
Jerry Antrum/ Cancer Patient:
"Well, I just got out of the doctor and I guess everything looks real good so
far."
THIS TIME, GOOD NEWS. JERRY'S BODY IS FIGHTING THE CANCER SUCCESSFULLY.
Jerry Antrum/ Cancer Patient:
"It's a great feeling to know that I don't have it and I don't have to worry
about it for awhile again."
This technology has actually been in the works for awhile, but the Imaging Center in Sacramento has just installed the largest pet scan machine ever built.
