PET CT SCAN

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3 WHAT ARE ITS SIDE EFFECTS AND SAFETY?

There are no side effects associated with PET CT. It is safe for patients of any age and is

painless. The total radiation dose is acceptable within reasonably comparable to

standard scans. The FDG degrades quickly (T1/2-110 minutes) and eliminates from the

body through urine. Family members are not at risk of exposure and the patient can

interact with them after the scan.

4WHAT TO EXPECT?

PET (Positron Emission Tomography) is a functional imaging modality that gives

physicians a unique view of your body's biological functions by looking at your body's

metabolic activity. Most diseases alter your body's biological processes. PET is able

to discover these changes in their earliest stages, often before any symptoms

appear. It can sometimes eliminate the need for other invasive procedures and, by

correctly staging cancers, may prevent unnecessary surgical procedures. It helps in

faster initiation of effective treatment plans.

CT (Computerised Tomography) scan accurately evaluates anatomy (pinpoint

exact location, size and shape) of the diseased tissue or tumor

PET CT is a combination of a PET scan and a CT scan obtained at a single instance

and by a single piece of equipment. By combining these studies, the identification

and accuracy of diagnosing a disease is greatly enhanced. Physicians are able to

detect disease earlier, determine the extent of the disease and assess response to

and effectiveness of treatments. It eliminates the need for multiple work-up

procedures such as site specific CTs, Ultrasound, MRI and Bone Scans.

All human cells consume glucose. But cancer cells require more glucose than healthy cells

to grow. PET scan utilizes a radioactive tracer that is similar to glucose called

Flurodeoxyglucose (FDG). FDG accumulates within malignant cells due to their high rate

of glucose metabolism. When a patient is scanned, the resulting images show the

distribution of the radio-labeled glucose throughout the body. Areas of increased

metabolism appear as hot spots on the images showing disease presence.

PET CT for cancer patients

Cancer detection, staging, treatment response, restaging and recurrence (like non-small

cell lung carcinoma, lymphoma, colorectal cancer, oesophageal carcinoma, head and

neck cancer, breast cancer, renal cell carcinoma, lung cancer, solitary pulmonary

nodule, brain cancer, melanoma and thyroid carcinoma)

PET CT for non-cancer patients

Neurology: Evaluation of Dementia (such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease),

in epilepsy to localise the foci of the refractory seizures, recurrence of tumor vs radiation

necrosis.

Cardiology: PET is the gold standard to detect viability of myocardium after MI

Infection: Osteomyelitis, Periprosthetic Infection, PUO evaluation.

1 HOW DOES PET CT SCAN WORK?

• It is fast and convenient - shorter scanning time and improved image quality in a single

session without moving the patient to any other location

• It helps in early and accurate diagnosis of the disease due to its

superior sensitivity

• It helps surgeons prevent from ineffective or unnecessary surgical procedures by

accurately characterizing tumors as benign or malignant

• It is clinically proven, cost-effective and safe method for imaging a variety of cancers

• It is particularly effective in identifying whether cancer is present or not, if it has spread, if

it is responding to treatment, and if a person is cancer free after treatment.

2WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF PET CT?

Getting ready

• 2 days before the scan

- Do not exercise hard

- You can walk but do not jog

• A day before the scan

- Eat high protein food like eggs, cheese and meat

- Avoid carbohydrates like bread, pasta, cookies and cake

• The day of the scan

- Do not eat or drink anything. Do not suck mints or chew gum

- Take any medication that is safe to take on an empty stomach. Do not take any

medications that contain sugar.

- Bring your medical history, l ist of medications, pathology reports,

previous CT, MRI, and prior PET-CT scans

- Avoid wearing metal (jewelry, zippers, clips, buckles etc.)

- Wear warm, comfortable clothing since the scanner room is cool

If you are breast-feeding or you are pregnant, tell the team. Radioactive substance may

expose radiation to the fetus in pregnant patients or infants of breast-feeding women.

If you have diabetes: Blood sugar plays an important role in the scan. Keep it in control.

Take your diabetes medication 2 hours before your appointment. If you take insulin, eat a

light breakfast before 7:00 am and take your usual insulin dose.

Preparing

If your blood sugar is within the desired range, you will receive an injection consisting of

FDG. This is followed by a wait of approximately 60 minutes in a quiet, semi-darkened room

to allow the radiotracer to adequately target and bind to possible malignant cells within

your body.

Scanning

You will then be placed on a table that moves into the scanner and first undergo a very

quick CT scan. This takes less than a minute in most circumstances. The table then moves

the patient into the PET scanning portion of the camera. The PET scanner consists of

hundreds of radiation detectors that surround the patient. Using the emissions given off by

FGD, the PET scanner measures the amount of metabolic activity at a site in your body and

a computer reassembles the signals into 3-D images of tissue function. The PET scan portion

of the exam takes a little more than 15 minutes.

After the Scan

• You can eat and drink as you would normally

• Drink plenty of fluids for 24 hours to help flush the FDG (tracer)

• Avoid close contact with children and pregnant women for 6-8 hours

• If you feel unwell after you leave the hospital, contact your doctor

NOTES

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