CT scans for lung cancer may be tricky

 CT scans for lung cancer may be tricky

 

Study showed that the CT scan using a computer to measure lung tumors may not be trusted as it is likely to lead patients and physicians to believe that the tumor is growing while that does not happen.The researchers said the study - which they said was the first to examine to what extent can count on that kind of X-ray and published in the journal (Journal of Clinical Oncology) - This may mean stopping the treatment actually prevents the growth of the tumor.Gregory Riley said of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Center in New York, "the patient and the doctor needs to understand that small changes do not necessarily mean much.""Changes can occur up to 10 percent for no other reason except that it is a result of the variation inherent in the CT computer."To conduct the study, the Sloan-Kettering Center Team asking patients with lung cancer at a later stage whether they wish to submit to two surveys released to scan using the computer in minutes. And 33 patients agreed.Typically, doctors are conducting the survey for such patients once every few months if the tumor had grown, which may be an indicator of changing drugs.The researchers also gave the image of three specialists in radiology did not have knowledge that the survey scans to be repeated before the tumor has grown or shrunk significantly.But specialists have three reports of significant changes, ranging from shrinking by 23 percent and the growth rate of 31 percent.Overall, it seemed that three percent of the tumors have grown significantly, making doctors diagnose the disease and progress in accordance with common standards.Riley said that some doctors in treatment decisions depend on the small changes seen in X-ray, although this may be a serious mistake, according to the results of the study.

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