PET and CT scans

This is a big day - but we won't know how big until next Wednesday.  Brett is getting PET and CT scans done to determine if chemotherapy is working for him.  We know it is, but how much?  And is there anything new to be concerned about?  He had his first PET on June 2nd - the day after he came back from Texas.  So this would be a direct comparison to that one.

From the Mayo Clinic website:

"A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is an imaging test that helps reveal how your tissues and organs are functioning. A PET scan uses a radioactive drug (tracer) to show this activity. 

The tracer may be injected, swallowed or inhaled, depending on which organ or tissue is being studied by the PET scan. The tracer collects in areas of your body that have higher levels of chemical activity, which often correspond to areas of disease. On a PET scan, these areas show up as bright spots."

It was also State Fair judging Day #2.  We checked Brett into his test.  It takes about an hour to get the infusion of the dye/contract and then the tests themselves.  We went to check in our food items and we would come back to pick up Brett.

When we came back - we were met with 2 nurses... named Susan and Debbie!!  Brett was fully dressed and done with his tests - but he had a slight reaction (hives) to the contract this time.  We had to go up to Radiology and see a physician.  They gave him a shot of prescription-strength Benadryl.

He was checked over by the doctor and he said that all is okay.  It's noted on his chart of this new allergy - but that it is a slight reaction.  He will have to take prednisone and benadryl 13 hours (why 13 hours?) before his future scans.  Whew!

The good news is that he actually have enough immune system to produce hives!  They were pretty excited about that.

We went back for judging at the Fair and all went out to dinner later that night.  Busy day - but overall, it was good!