How long is a full body PET scan?

The entire PET scan process takes about two hours. It can take up to 60 minutes for your body to absorb the injected radiotracer. During this time, you'll need to sit quietly and limit your movements.

What can I expect from a full body PET scan?

During the procedure

It takes about 30 minutes to complete a PET-CT scan and 45 minutes for a PET-MRI scan. The machine makes buzzing and clicking sounds. The test is painless. If you're afraid of enclosed spaces, you may feel some anxiety while in the scanner.

How do I prepare for a full body PET scan?

Avoid exercising 24 hours before the scan. Follow a special diet for 12 to 24 hours before the scan. Don't drink or eat anything, except water, for 6 hours before the scan.

Does a full body PET scan include the brain?

A PET scan can show the size, shape, and function of the brain, so your doctor can make sure it is working as well as it should. It is most often used when other tests, such as MRI scan or CT scan, do not provide enough information. This test can be used to: Diagnose cancer.

What is the difference between a PET scan and a full body scan?

A CT scan shows detailed pictures of the organs and tissues inside your body. A PET scan can find abnormal activity and it can be more sensitive than other imaging tests. It may also show changes to your body sooner. Doctors use PET-CT scans to provide more information about the cancer.

What to expect from your PET Scan - a guide for new patients

What should you not do before a PET scan?

Do not eat or drink anything, except water, for 6 hours before the exam. You may drink water, as much water as you can would be helpful, until arrival. Routine medications may be taken, unless you have been instructed otherwise.

Does a PET scan show all cancers in the body?

PET scans detect areas of activity (like cell growth) in the body. More radioactive material collects in cancer cells than normal cells and will appear brighter on the image. Not all cancers show up on a PET scan. PET scan results are often used with other imaging and lab test results.

How accurate is a full body PET scan?

A PET/CT scan can be more sensitive than other imaging tests and may find cancer sooner than other tests do. Not all tumors take up the radiotracer, but PET/CT is highly accurate in differentiating from the benign and malignant tumors it finds, particularly in some cancers such as lung and musculoskeletal tumors.

What cancers does a PET scan not show?

Though most cancers are picked up on PET CT, there are a few which do not. The most important of these would be cancer of stomach (signet cell type). In such cases performing this test would be waste. However, there are cancers which are very sensitively detected which include lymphoma, GIST, etc.

How long does it take to get the results of a PET scan?

If your PET-CT was done to find cancer cells, your doctor should have your results in 2 business days. Ask your doctor how they will share your results with you. If your PET-CT was done to plan your treatment, your doctor will use the images to plan your care.

Do you wear clothes during a PET scan?

Specific protocols may vary, but generally a PET scan follows this process: You will be asked to remove any clothing, jewelry, or other objects that may interfere with the scan. If you are asked to remove clothing, you will be given a gown to wear.

Do you feel OK after a PET scan?

You shouldn't experience any side effects after having a PET scan and can usually go home the same day. The results of your scan won't usually be available on the same day.

Should you rest after a PET scan?

In most cases, you will need to rest before and after the injection of the radioactive material. For example, if you are having a brain PET scan, you will lie quietly in a darkened room before and after the injection to make sure your brain remains relaxed and is not stimulated by light, noise or reading.

Are you in a tube for a PET scan?

The platform will enter a long tube where the PET scan is performed. The scan will take 20 to 40 minutes. It's very important to remain still during the test. That's because movement could affect the results of the PET scan.

How do you flush your body after a PET scan?

Drink lots of fluids for the next 24 hours to help flush the tracer out of your body. Most of the tracer will be flushed from your body within 6 to 24 hours.

Why do you have to rest before a PET scan?

You will need to wait at the facility for one to two hours so your body can absorb the tracer, and you should rest quietly during this period. Before the scan, you will have the opportunity to ask your technologist any questions you may have about the procedure.

What does a hot spot on a PET scan mean?

Areas of the body that use a lot of glucose, such as the brain and heart, will pick up this radioactive material and appear hot. Abnormal cells in the body that use a lot of glucose will also appear as "hot spots." Cancer cells are highly metabolic and use a lot of sugar.

What is the most common diagnosis for a PET scan?

In general, PET scans may be used to evaluate organs and/or tissues for the presence of disease or other conditions. PET may also be used to evaluate the function of organs, such as the heart or brain. The most common use of PET is in the detection of cancer and the evaluation of cancer treatment.

Can a PET scan tell if a tumor is malignant?

PET imaging can be useful to determine whether a tumor is malignant (cancerous) or benign (not cancerous). Unlike other imaging tests like CT or MRI that show anatomy, the PET scan looks at the physiological changes and cellular activity, so cancer may be diagnosed much earlier.

Which is more accurate MRI or PET scan?

Difference between PET scan and MRI

PET scans show metabolic changes that occur at a cellular level in your organ or tissue, which is where diseases can first be detected. MRIs cannot view the tissue at this scale, but rather are useful for detecting larger changes in the organ or tissues.

How long are you radioactive after a PET scan?

With a PET or a PET/CT scan, you will give off very low levels of radiation for around 6 hours afterwards. As a precaution, you should avoid being close to women who are pregnant during this time. It should also be safe to be around adult pets, as long as they are not pregnant.

Is A PET scan better than an MRI?

MRI scans, note that both can detect diseases and abnormalities. However, PET scans can show how your body performs at the cellular level. On the other hand, PET scans include radiation. MRI scans don't expose you to harmful radiation, which can be preferable for certain patients and annual scans.

How do you stay calm during a PET scan?

Can I brush my teeth before a PET scan?

Can I brush my teeth before a PET/CT scan? Normal brushing without swallowing mouthwash or toothpaste within the four hour preparation timeframe will have no effect on the outcome of your PET/CT scan.

Can you sleep during a PET scan?

Then, the patient will be asked to lie on a table that passes slowly through the scanner. The scanner resembles a CT scanner, but has a much larger opening. Some people fall asleep during the scan.