This helps get pictures from different angles. The technologist might raise, lower, or tilt the table during the scan. This prevents blurry pictures from the movement of your body breathing. Sometimes, the technologist may ask you to hold your breath. Then, the table slides slowly back and forth. This first pass shows the technologist if you’re in the right body position to get the needed images. When the exam starts, the table slides quickly through the hole. The scanning device is a large machine with a donut-shaped hole in the middle. But your position depends on where in the body the doctor wants to scan. Most people are asked to lie on their back on the exam table. When the substance has traveled all over your body, it will be time to start the scan. You might drink the contrast medium, or the technologist or a nurse may put it in your IV. Contrast medium can make the images from a PET-CT scan easier to interpret. You may also receive a special dye called a contrast medium before the scan. During that time, you’ll need to remain still and stay relaxed. It takes 30 to 90 minutes for the substance to travel all over the body. You will then receive an injection of a radioactive substance, called a radiotracer or tracer. You may need to remove anything that contains metal, such as eyeglasses, dentures, or hearing aids, during the test.Īn intravenous (IV) line will be placed into a vein. Leave valuables at home, such as jewelry or a watch, so they don’t get misplaced. You may also need to change from your regular clothing into a hospital gown. These may be different, depending on the specific scan you receive, but preparations often include:Īvoid exercising 24 hours before the scan.įollow a special diet for 12 to 24 hours before the scan.ĭon’t drink or eat anything, except water, for 6 hours before the scan.Īsk your health care team when you can expect to learn about the test results and who will explain the results to you. You will need to take specific steps, or preparations, before the scan. Find out if you need any approval or pre-authorization before this test is done, based on your specific health insurance policy. Ask if you will need to pay for any or all of the cost of the procedure. Meanwhile, contact your insurance company to learn if it will pay for the scan. If you have concerns, talk with your doctor before you sign. The staff will ask you to sign a form that says you understand the risks and benefits of a PET-CT scan. That way, you can prepare your music and device in advance. If this applies to you, ask if you can listen to music during the scan. Some people feel more relaxed when they listen to music. If you are claustrophobic and don’t like to be in small spaces. If you are breastfeeding or may be pregnant. You may need special preparation if you have diabetes. ![]() Ask if you should keep taking them before the scan.Īny allergies or other medical conditions you may have. Bring a list of all the medications you take, including any vitamins or supplements. ![]() When you are scheduling your PET-CT scan, be sure to discuss the following topics with your health care team: You will need to go to your hospital’s radiology or nuclear medicine department or to an outpatient imaging center to have a PET-CT scan. A doctor, either a nuclear medicine physician or a radiologist, will read the scan and decide what it means. These are trained health care professionals. A scanner then detects this substance to produce images of the inside of the body.Ī PET-CT scan is done by a nuclear medicine technologist or radiologic technologist. Because cancer tends to use energy actively, it absorbs more of the radioactive substance. This sugar substance is taken up by cells that use the most energy. A small amount of a radioactive sugar substance is injected into the patient’s body. Sometimes, your doctor may refer to a PET-CT scan as a PET scan or PET imaging.Ī PET-CT scan is a way to create pictures of organs and tissues inside the body. It is also used to:įind out how well treatment is working or has worked A positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET-CT) scan is an imaging test used to learn more about the cancer’s stage and where it has spread to.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |