PET-CT - what to expect
If you have any queries before you come for your appointment, our reception staff will be pleased to help. Please call us on the telephone number indicated on the dedicated unit page in the "Locate a Centre " section of our website.
Before your Appointment
Please do not eat or drink anything (except water) for 6 hours before your scan and follow any instructions given to you regarding taking your usual medication before your appointment. If you have any queries or need advice please contact us on the number provided in your confirmation letter or by contacting the unit in our 'Locate a Centre' section of the website.
Please contact us prior to your appointment if you:
- Are diabetic
- Are pregnant, breast feeding or have small children
- Are booked for any other appointments on the same day
- Suffer from allergies or asthma
- Have any other queries concerning your examination.
If you need help because you speak a different language, please let us know when you book your appointment.
On Arrival
On arrival our staff will welcome you to the centre, explain the procedure to you, run through a simple safety questionnaire to make sure you can be scanned and answer any further questions you may have. You may be asked to change into a patient gown and to remove any jewellery or metallic objects. If our clinicians require you to have a mild sedative (in tablet form), it will be given to you at this stage. We will then give you an injection of radioactive tracer called FDG which will not make you feel any different. After receiving the injection you will be asked to rest and remain lying down for 60 – 90 minutes while the injection is metabolised by your body.
The Examination
Once your body has taken up the radioactive tracer, you will be escorted into the scan room. In the scanning room, you will be positioned on the scanner bed. The bed will move through the ring of the scanner and collect images for between 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the type of scan you require.
During the entire examination, the radiographer can see you clearly and speak to you, so if you have any problems, you only have to speak. We advise you to allow up to four hours for the whole procedure from arrival to discharge.
After your scan it is advisable to drink plenty of water to flush the tracer through your body. We recommend that you don't have close contact with pregnant women or young children for four hours after the scan. The results will be interpreted by a consultant and forwarded to your referring doctor.
As with any examination involving ionising radiation there is a small degree of risk but this is far outweighed by the benefits of having the study; a PET-CT scan imparts approximately the same radiation dose as an abdominal CT study. All of our units comply with all UK legislation regarding the handling and administration of radioactive substances and conducts regular audits to ensure compliance is maintained.
Mobile Service
InHealth also operates a fleet of mobile PET-CT scanners. The NHS and private hospitals use our services throughout the UK to provide additional scan capacity wherever it is required. The hospital or doctor arranging your scan will deal with the booking arrangements and send you the details.
