Preparation for PET/CT Exam15

Before you have a PET/CT scan it is important to make sure you follow the following points:

• Avoid strenuous activities on the day before and the day of your PET/CT scan as excessive muscular activity may interfere with the interpretation of the results of the scan.

• Do not eat for six hours prior to their PET/CT scan examination. You can drink water, but not anything else

• If you are a diabetic and take insulin to control your diabetes mention this before the PET/CT scan, as you will probably be scheduled for an early afternoon appointment

• You must remove all jewelry, hair pins, and clips prior to your exam

• Clothes must be free of metal zippers, snaps, etc

• Please be prepared to stay for approximately 3 hours

• Your blood sugar level will be tested prior to the injection of the radiopharmaceutical. If your blood sugar level is elevated, your scan will be rescheduled.

• Before the injection of the tracer drug you will have an angiocath placed into a vein in your arm for ease of injection

• A small volume (normally 370MBq) of a radio pharmaceutical (normally FDG) is injected through the IV line in your vein

• After the injection, you must wait for approximately 45 minutes before the scanning can begin.

• Before the PET/CT scan you will allowed to relax in one a quiet room. It is important that you relax and rest during this time to allow the radio pharmaceutical to properly distribute throughout your body.