Bad Cat Scan Math

[Lindberg]

Contrast is a transient vasodilator. Makes people feel warm, flushed, and like you are going to urinate. No one actually does though.

That's what they told me before they shot me full of it: "You're going to feel like you just wet your pants. Really. But you won't, don't worry, I promise." And then woosh, and I was certain that I'd wet my pants, and of course you can't see down there until they pull you out . . . .

 

[denverpilot]

@kath
Are you ok?

Yeah @kath ... ditto.

I see for tomorrow’s bone density test notes it says if you’ve had other radiological imagery “recently” or contrasts, “it may have to be rescheduled”. Hmm.

Y’all just gave me a CT with contrast two days ago...

Why do I have the feeling I’m going to set off a TSA scanner on the way home? LOL.

Meanwhile other late night thoughts in this town... with as many people are having radiological stuff done here, do you suppose there’s a tiny but measurable radioactivity in the Rochester MN sewer system?

“Drink lots of water!” LOL. It’s gonna go somewhere...

 

[weilke]

Yeah, I got to both drink and get shot up with the contrast. They really could've made that consumed contrast taste better by adding something like rum.

We go for 'stale flower pot'. Beats what we use for fluoroscopy studies: Berry flavored chalk

But that's an interesting point/question. I considered it a single scan since it was one shop visit, but I think they passed me through the machine 3 or 4 times total. I'm not sure what that ends up being considered as from the perspective of both exposure and billing.

The bill is based on the body part and whether it is done 'without', 'with' or 'with and without' contrast.

There are a few clinical questions that require more than one or two contrast phases (e.g. arterial and venous or arterial and 2 min delay). The radiation dose is cumulative. A single scan of the abdomen may be 8mSv, a three phase study 24mSv. Unless it's really necessary, we try to avoid the multi-phase studies and there is no financial incentive to do additional phases.

 

[kath]

@kath
Are you ok?

Oh, yeah, yeah. It was real minor and only lasted a few seconds.
A little 5.5 tremblor is what we Alaskans call "just another Thursday".

 

[denverpilot]

Oh, yeah, yeah. It was real minor and only lasted a few seconds.
A little 5.5 tremblor is what we Alaskans call "just another Thursday".

I took the question as being about having planned radiation and not the earthquake, but I guess it could have been either.

(Most planned radiation exposure tends toward nuclear medicine so I thought he was asking if you were ok in that regard. Needing to be radiated is typically bad news.)

shrug.

 

[kath]

I took the question as being about having planned radiation and not the earthquake, but I guess it could have been either.

Oh! Well, there's that too...
I'm nearing the end of my breast cancer chemo regimen (cycle 7 out of 9), so it's the time to start planning for the surgery and radiation to follow, hence the chat with the RadOnc. The good news is that the chemo has been very effective at shrinking the tumor; most doctors can't even find it anymore with the ol' poke-and-prod. However, it's pretty stressful, after so many weeks of just "walking the chemo walk" because it was the thing to do, to once again go through the process of being inundated by information (like my visit to the RadOnc) with new opportunities to be Scared About Things and having to make Decisions About Things.
The prospect of Radiation is terrifying. The alternative is to take the entire breast. Then again, I was terrified about chemo too at first, and yet here I am getting through it. Dunno. <sigh>

 

[denverpilot]

... new opportunities to be Scared About Things and having to make Decisions About Things.
The prospect of Radiation is terrifying. The alternative is to take the entire breast. Then again, I was terrified about chemo too at first, and yet here I am getting through it. Dunno. <sigh>

LOL. Laughing because I know the feeling. Karen being in a chorus with 170 women has a whole bunch of friends who’ve faced that decision tree.

Those Choose Your Own Adventure books as a kid were never quite this difficult! Haha.

The good news is, you have a decision. The bad news is, you have a decision. Hahaha.

Doc this morning says “you’re going on this drug today... here’s all the ways it could kill you... don’t worry they’re all really rare... but don’t miss any blood tests in the next few weeks... take it on Fridays in case of side effects but call us immediately if you have any...” (Which no Doc will answer on a weekend? Haha.)

I’ve decided that rapidly dividing cells that shouldn’t be, in all forms, are a pain in all of our collective asses. LOL.