A PET scan, or positron emission tomography scan, is often a subject that can make people anxious. Well, a PET scan is a normal scan that shows how your organs and tissues function letting the physician know if your cancer treatment is working as required.
Here are more facts you may want to know:
What a PET scan is: The scan uses a radiotracer which helps to measure the breakdown of sugar, oxygen consumption, flow of blood, and the functioning of your internal organs and tissue. It is also capable of measuring the effectiveness of your cancer therapy.
Things to do before the scan: Avoid consuming any kind of food or beverage for 6 hours before the scan, unless your doctor recommends it. Make sure the last meal you have includes protein rich foods and lots of water. Carbohydrate-rich foods and sugar-laden foods are not advisable, as PET scans also measure your blood sugar, and thus, your results may not be accurate. Let the technician know if you have diabetes, claustrophobia, weigh over four hundred pounds, possess an inability to lay still on your back, if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or have been taking medicines laden with steroids, so that the technician can adapt the scan to keep you satisfied and ensure precise outcomes.
The process of a PET scan: Once your blood sugar reading has been checked, a radio tracer will be injected into your body via an IV line, which lets the doctors see where sugar breakdown happens to see if the cancer has experienced growth. As soon as you’re ready to start the scan, about an hour after the tracer has been injected, you will lay on your back and go into a tube where the scan occurs, which takes 20-40 minutes. Stay as still as possible, as any movement may render the scan inaccurate.
Once you’re done with the scan, consume lots of water to get the tracer out of your body. Set a date with your physician to get the results of your scan, and you’re done.
About Author
PET / CT of Las Colinas was developed with both patients and physicians in mind and our services have been used for various types of disease; primarily in detecting, staging and monitoring cancer, but also in heart disease and brain disorders.
