My son Ian has just passed one year post-therapy and we've been looking at the schedule for scans going forward.
Our oncologist at our local hospital suggested (as per the 'standard protocol') that he receive a CT, bone scan and MRI every 6 months in his second year.
After touching base with our contacts at Sloan Kettering, the following was suggested:
Chest xray mothly for the first year, every two months for the second year, every three months for the third year following completion of therapy
MR primary tumor site every 3 months for the first year, every six months for the second and third year following completion of therapy.
The document I've attached is a paper that discusses the trade-offs of using CT scans and the risk-reward associated with them. It deals with osteosarcoma but our oncologist at Sloan felt it was relevant to synovial sarcoma.
I only share this as information--we intend to follow this suggested scanning sequence. I'd be curious to hear any other thoughts.
Thanks for the information Brian. I didn't know the follow-up protocol for pediatric sarcoma was not the same as adults but it is not surprising since growing children are more sensitive to radiation. May be other parents can write about their experience on the subject...
We went every 3 months to the hospital for mri scan of the neck and x-ray of the lungs the first year, this year we go every 4 months, next year every 5 months and so on.......
The ct scans are not recommended becouse of exposure to radiation.
Our protocol for Tristan was supposed to be CT of lungs and MRI of arm every three months for the first year, and then we were discussing alternating CT and xray for the following year, every three months, at the same time he has his arm MRI. Then it was supposed to move to every six months for a couple years, and then once a year I think after that for a long time. He had a bone scan when he was originally diagnosed, but none since, and this was his first PET scan he just had at this recurrence.
Still thinking a lot about this discussion on imaging schedule - here is the image gently website and a US article discussing imaging criteria for cancer: