PET/CT PATIENT PREPARATION

Instructions 

•  Appointment time: Must arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your scheduled scan time for preparation of scan. If you need to cancel your appointment, please call Central Scheduling at Ingalls Family Care Center, 708 915-3333. Ingalls hours are: Monday – Friday 7:00 am - 6:30 pm, Saturday 7:00 am – 3:30pm. If you do not cancel your appointment 24 hours prior to your scheduled time, you will be billed $200.00.

Directions to the Facility: Click Here

•  Comfort: PET scans are completely painless, with no side effects.

•  If you have had previous CT scans, x-rays, or PET/CT, you will need to bring those films with you .

•  Food and Drink: Please call the PET Center for specific instructions. Generally, you should limit the amount of sugar and caffeine on the day before the scan and should not consume anything except water for approximately 6 hours prior to the scan. Diabetics should not consume anything except water for approximately four hours prior to the scan.

•  Medications: You may take your regularly scheduled medications prior to arriving for your scan, if they can be tolerated on an empty stomach.

•  Diabetic: You should test your blood sugar level before the scan; it should be approximately 100-200 mg/dL.

•  Lab: All patients will need to have blood sugar level done when they arrive. If your blood sugar is above 200 your PET Scan may be cancelled and rescheduled.

•  Procedure: Upon arriving at the PET center, you will receive an injection of radioactive glucose (FDG), which will take approximately 45 minutes to distribute throughout your body. You will be asked to empty your bladder and then lie down on the scanner bed. The scan takes approximately 15-60 minutes, depending upon the type of scan you are having and the type of scanner being used. It is important that you lie still during this process. If you need pain medication, please bring it with you. You should plan on being at the PET center for approximately 2 hours.

•  After your scan: Once the PET scan is complete, you will be able to leave the PET center. Make sure you drink plenty of water or other fluids throughout the day to flush the FDG from your body.

•  Your PET scan results: A trained nuclear medicine physician or radiologist interprets the PET scan, and results are usually sent to the referring physician within 24-48 hours. Your results will be discussed at a follow up appointment with your physician.