Patient Instructions

Click Here for a Printable PET/CT Patient Instructions & General Information Document

PET/CT Patient Instructions and General Information

Exam Preparation
•   Depending on the type of scan, you will be asked not to eat after midnight before the day of your test. While the scan itself will take approximately one hour, you should plan to spend twoto three hours from the beginning to the end of the procedure. There are no side effects from PET, so you should feel fine afterwards.

•   It usually takes about 30 minutes to 1 hour for the tracer to distribute throughout your body. If you are here for a brain scan you'll be asked to wait quietly, without talking or reading, to avoid stimulating your brain. Otherwise, no special restrictions apply.

•  When your body passes through the PET scanner, you should feel nothing. It is important, however, to lie as still as possible on the scanning table, so images can be read accurately. After the scan, you may eat and drink immediately, unless directed otherwise by your physician. The small amounts of radiopharmaceuticals from the procedure should be out of your system within a couple of hours. Should you have any other questions, please consult your physician. Rest assured that you're receiving the best diagnostic care available

•  The PET scan is interpreted by a board certified radiologist and results are usually sent to the referring physician within 24-48 hours. You should contact your doctor to discuss the results.

Diabetic Patients
•   If you are diabetic, it is still safe to have the PET Imaging procedure. However, you will be asked to come in one day prior to your scan to have your sugar glucose level checked. It will also be checked the day of the scan.
•  The best test results are achieved when the glucose level is not too high at the time of the glucose solution injection, required for the procedure. This allows the labeled glucose to distribute better throughout the body.