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Silly Question- Ct Scans Machines

Posted: Wed Oct 09, 2013 12:16 pm
by very worried husband
I have a question about the CT scans. The scans of my wife says 5mm slices. I don't know how old that machine is but on the Notice board in the imaging Dept it says 2005.
I am asking because i sent her CT scans copies to two places and one says that the two nodule (6mm and 7mm) looks Infection. The other hospital says the image quality is not good of the thorax CT results.
Are All CT scans the same or there is difference between the quality of different CT's.

Re: Silly Question- Ct Scans Machines

Posted: Wed Oct 09, 2013 12:23 pm
by Cb75
My understanding is that different machines can be of different quality. Some take 5mm slices and some as small as one millimeter. I know it's hard to cope, but there is a chance that your wife's spots are remnants from something else, which could be inflammation from a chest cold or infection. When is her next scan? The best indication is to see if the spots have changed. Try not to stress too much until you know what you're dealing with.

Re: Silly Question- Ct Scans Machines

Posted: Wed Oct 09, 2013 1:45 pm
by luvmymom
very worried husband wrote:I have a question about the CT scans. The scans of my wife says 5mm slices. I don't know how old that machine is but on the Notice board in the imaging Dept it says 2005.
I am asking because i sent her CT scans copies to two places and one says that the two nodule (6mm and 7mm) looks Infection. The other hospital says the image quality is not good of the thorax CT results.
Are All CT scans the same or there is difference between the quality of different CT's.


Hi there--I have done some CT engineering work. There are a huge range of scanners out there ranging from 16 to 320 slices. Not just the hardware, but also the image processing algorithms have different levels of sophistication available. So in short all CT scans are not the same.

I wish I could tell you what exactly that meant for your wife, but unfortunately I don't know. My best wishes to you both.

Re: Silly Question- Ct Scans Machines

Posted: Wed Oct 09, 2013 5:26 pm
by betsydoglover
In 2006 I had copies of my CTs evaluated at NIH. They saw a few things (possible things) that my radiologist did not comment on. It turned out to be related to the copying onto CD. Remember that was 7+ years ago - things have probably changed. I occasionally get myself all paranoid about the scanner my radiologist uses - then I remember how much I trust him (see the same one all the time) and I relax. But as said, all CTs are not identical.

Re: Silly Question- Ct Scans Machines

Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2013 4:09 pm
by very worried husband
Thank you so much for your inputs. Yes. I am paranoid about the results of my wife. Thinking about it day and night. Its v hard to cope. Nothing I could do except wait.

Re: Silly Question- Ct Scans Machines

Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2013 7:24 pm
by very worried husband
Sorry cb75. I forgot to reply. She is coming on 27th october and her scan is on the 6th with results on 19 th November.

Re: Silly Question- Ct Scans Machines

Posted: Thu Oct 10, 2013 10:29 pm
by GreenMonkey
dear very worried husband,

totally off subject but I can't help myself....

YOU are wonderful! It makes me smile to know that your wife has you with her. I wish I had a "very worried husband" in my life. Mine couldn't handle the stress of it all. Weak men suck.

as for the CT's - I had two different read outs, from two different CT's, taken at two different hospitals, two days apart (I kid you not)

I also have nodules on my lungs (largest is 8mm) and they watch them closely. getting another CT next week and yes, I worry.

Signed, Worried women without strong, caring man in her life and it sucks.

Re: Silly Question- Ct Scans Machines

Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2013 12:40 pm
by very worried husband
Thank you so much for your compliments. :mrgreen: but to be honest I am v v weak. This Cancer has broken me from inside. The first diagnosis was hard. We got married in December and she was diagnosed in January. we were gradually coming to life to find out these nodules. Last time wife was better, but this time she is also devastated. I had to sent her to china to see her dad who is also dealing with cancer.
I don't know how i am gonna live without her. if i could take her cancer today and die tomorrow, i will do that without thinking for a second....but in life it does not work like this....
Best of luck with your scans...I really hate this cancer

Re: Silly Question- Ct Scans Machines

Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 6:57 pm
by O Stoma Mia
very worried husband wrote:.... She is coming on 27th october and her scan is on the 6th with results on 19 th November.


VWH - If your wife is coming back from China soon, then she will have about a week to get ready for her 6th November CT Thorax scan. Be sure she takes good care of her lungs over the next week, so as to avoid any possible false positive results on the scan -- Any inflammation due to chest cold, etc., could pose a problem for interpretation of the scan, as I'm sure you understand. This scan is intended to confirm/disconfirm the spots on her earlier, low-resolution scan. You don't want to have another set of spots show up due to false positive causes.

Re: Silly Question- Ct Scans Machines

Posted: Sat Oct 26, 2013 7:35 pm
by CRguy
...and since S.E. Asia seems to be the incubator for each year's influenza lottery, and airliners are flying "petri dishes" -->>>
I believe O Stoma Mia has given some very sagely advice.
Would your wife even consider wearing a face mask for a while ???? ... and using abundant amounts of hand sanitizers at every instance .....

No, I am not being overly cautious or paranoid ...(don't think so anyway :shock: )
just wishing her the best for the Journey ahead.

Cheers
CRguy

Re: Silly Question- Ct Scans Machines

Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2013 12:51 am
by nkoske
Just to add to the CT discussion. My CTs have 1mm slices.

Re: Silly Question- Ct Scans Machines

Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2013 9:18 am
by SMR
VWH,
You are not the only one being called strong yet feeling very weak. I can not tell you the number of times I have had the same wish as you- that I could trade places with my dear wonderful husband. That I would be the one to be sick, endure treatments, and die. Please know you are not alone. Feel free to join in on the "wives" thread which despite the name is a place for caregivers and partners. We've had men along the way for sure.

Anyhow, I wish you and your wife the very best with your scan.

Re: Silly Question- Ct Scans Machines

Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2013 9:04 pm
by very worried husband
Thank you OSM and Crguy, you are really wonderful. My wife delayed her arrival till the 1st of November. She wanted to have more rest in home and also be with her father. i will definitely ask her to wear a mask. last year she came from UK and had a v bad cough and very high fever.she took a while to recover. So yes, getting a bug on the plane is a serious threat.

Re: Silly Question- Ct Scans Machines

Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2013 9:09 pm
by very worried husband
wow, 1 mm slices? that's impressive nkoske.

Re: Silly Question- Ct Scans Machines

Posted: Sun Oct 27, 2013 9:13 pm
by very worried husband
thank you SMR.I am sorry that you are in similar situation. hard for some people to understand that i could be in such shape after my wife's lung nodules were found in Aug. I have lost 10kg in the last two months...I never imagined this would happen to us....