This test makes images that show activity in body tissues. A substance that gives off a tiny amount of radiation is put into your body. This substance goes to the part of you body that is most active. A machine can then detect where that substance is. PET can be done for many body parts, including:
- Whole body
- Brain
- Lungs
- Breast
- Heart
If you are allergic to the radioactive substance given for a PET scan, you may be at risk for complications. Talk to your doctor.
A PET scan may be done for a number of reasons, including:
- Looking for tumors or assessing tumor level of activity after treatment
- Assessing causes of memory disorders
- Finding the cause of seizures and helping to find treatments
-
Assessing brain metabolism in patients with
chronic fatigue syndrome
- Looking for heart disease
- Wear comfortable clothes.
- Do not eat or drink anything, except water, for at least four hours before the scan.
- Check with your doctor about taking your regular medicines.
-
If you have
diabetes, ask the doctor for specific diet recommendations for the test day, since this can affect your results.
- Tell your doctor if you are or might be pregnant.
A nurse or technologist will give you a radioactive substance. This may be done through an injection, or in some cases, you will be asked to breathe in a gas. It will travel through your blood to the area of the body being studied. It takes 30-90 minutes for the substance to be absorbed by the tissue. Once the substance has been absorbed, the scan can take place.
You will lie on a table and be moved into a machine that looks like a large, square doughnut. This machine detects and records the energy levels from the substance that was injected earlier. The images are viewed on a computer monitor. The scan lasts about 30-45 minutes. You may be asked to perform specific tasks before or during the test. For example, during a heart PET scan, you may be asked to walk on a treadmill.
Drink plenty of fluids to help the radioactive substance pass from your body.
Except for the pinprick from the injection, a PET scan is a painless procedure. People who are
claustrophobic
(uncomfortable in closed or tight spaces) may have some
anxiety.
The images will show activity levels as different colors or degrees of brightness. A radiologist will review the images and send the results to your doctor. It may take a few days for your doctor to receive the report.
Call your doctor if you have any unusual symptoms, like a rash, itching, or difficulty breathing. These symptoms may mean that you are having an allergic reaction to the radioactive substance.
Last reviewed October 2009
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