PET/Ct Scan

A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is an imaging test that helps reveal how your tissues and organs are functioning. A PET scan uses a radioactive drug (tracer) to show this activity. This scan can sometimes detect disease before it shows up on other imaging tests.

The tracer is injected depending on which organ or tissue is being studied. The tracer collects in areas of your body that have higher levels of chemical activity, which often correspond to areas of disease. On a PET scan, these areas show up as bright spots.

A PET scan is useful in revealing or evaluating several conditions, including many cancers and brain disorders. Often, PET images are combined with CT scans to create special views.

A PET scan is an effective way to examine the chemical activity in parts of your body. It may help identify a variety of conditions, including many cancers and brain disorders. The pictures from a PET scan provide information different from that uncovered by the other types of scans, such as computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A PET scan or a combined CT-PET scan enables your doctor to better diagnose illness and assess your condition.

• You will be asked to follow the Limited Carbohydrate diet for the previous 24 hours before the date of your appointment.
• Do not eat or drink anything, except water, for 6 hours before the exam. You may drink water, as much water as you can would be helpful, until arrival. 
• Routine medications may be taken, unless you have been instructed otherwise. If you are diabetic, you may take your diabetes medication no less than 4 hours prior to the exam.  
•  F-18 FDG  tracer will be injected into a vein to better define the images throughout the body. 
• You will be asked to sit in the dark room for One Hour. So the tracer can spread in your body.
• After one hour you will be scanned for approximately 30-45 minutes.