PET

Description of Procedure

Positron (The type of radioactivity used for the exam.)
Emission (Radioactivity is emitted from the body in order to create the image.)
Tomography (3 dimensional images of the body.)

PET scans are performed to detect changes or activity within the cells of your body. A PET scan can help determine the best course of therapy for your condition by characterizing biochemical changes within the cells of your body. A PET scan measures metabolic activity within the body, rather than anatomical (physical) changes as an MRI or CT scan would. A PET scan is generally performed on the whole body (eyebrows to thighs), which can help detect previously undiscovered metastatic disease. A PET scan of the heart can be used to determine whether or not a patient may benefit from revascularization (bypass surgery) versus a heart transplant. A PET scan of the brain is used to evaluate patients who have memory disorders of an undetermined cause; who have suspected or proven brain tumors; or who have seizure disorders that are not responsive to medical therapy and, therefore, are candidates for surgery. CMS (Medicare) is expected to release its guidelines for coverage for suspected Alzheimer’s Disease in the very near future.

You should plan on being at the facility for about 2 hours. The exam itself will take up to an hour and you may resume normal activities after your exam is complete.

PET/CT

Description of Procedure

A PET scan is used to detect metabolic changes within the cells of your body. A CT (Computed Tomography, commonly referred to as a CAT Scan) is used to detect anatomical changes within your body. Both tests are exceptional, but each has its limitations. A CT is very accurate in determining the size and anatomical location of an abnormality in the body, but usually requires a follow-up CT at a later date, or another possibly invasive test to determine the nature of the findings. A PET scan can tell us whether or not an abnormality is malignant or benign, but is limited in its ability to accurately size and place the abnormality within the body. Performing a PET and CT (PET/CT) simultaneously will provide your doctor with the most accurate information about your condition in a non-invasive manner. The preparation for a PET/CT is the same as it is for a PET scan and you may resume normal activities after your exam is completed.

Preparation - PET - PET/CT

· For most exams, you should not eat for six hours prior to your appointment time. You should drink plenty of water and take any medications that you are on unless you are specifically instructed not to take them by a doctor. If you are having an exam of your heart, you will be asked to eat a high-carb meal just prior to your appointment. Ask our scheduling department for specific details.

· You should not perform any strenuous physical activity for 24 hours prior to your exam.

· Please inform our staff if you are diabetic, may be pregnant or weigh more than 350 lbs. You may require special instructions in order to complete your exam, or to be re-scheduled for another date.

· If you are unable to make your appointment, please provide us with at least 24 hours notice to cancel. The injection you will receive is ordered specifically for you and cannot be re-used. You may incur charges if you do not provide 24 hours notice.

· You should dress comfortably and leave all jewelry and other valuables at home.
· Please bring your insurance card, as well as any recent X-rays, CT, MRI or any other test results with you on the day of your exam. They are important in the interpretation of your P.E.T. scan.

· If you have any questions, please call our Scheduling Department at (480) 940-9729.

Benefits

· Because PET allows study of body function, it can help physicians detect alterations in biochemical processes that suggest disease before changes in anatomy are apparent on other imaging tests such as CT or MRI scans.

· Because the radioactivity is very short-lived, your radiation exposure is extremely low. The radioactivity you will be exposed to is about the same as a standard CT scan or 2 chest x-rays.

Risks

· The radioactive substance may expose radiation to the fetus of patients who are pregnant or the infants of women who are breast-feeding. The risk to the fetus or infant should be considered related to the potential information gain from the result of the PET examination. If you are pregnant you should inform the PET imaging staff before the examination is performed.

PET - PET/CT Forms

Patient Registration Form
Questionaire
Consent Form

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