What are the do's and don'ts before a 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.


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.

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.


What medications interfere with PET scan?

If your PET/CT scan is scheduled before 12 noon, do not take any insulin or oral diabetic medications on the day of your appointment. If your PET/CT Scan is scheduled after 12 noon, do not use long acting or mixed (70/30) insulin after midnight the night before your scan.

How long should you not eat or drink before a PET scan?

For all PET scan diets, you will be asked to stop eating 6 hours before your appointment; however, you may continue to drink water.


How Does a PET Scan Work?



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.

What not to eat the day before a PET scan?

Day Prior to Your Appointment

Please avoid eating foods high in carbohydrates. These foods include potatoes, pasta, rice, breads, pretzels, cookies, candy, soda pop and alcoholic beverages.

How long does a full body PET scan take?

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 is the biggest disadvantage in using a PET scan?

The major drawback to standard PET is that the images are of substantially lower resolution than, for example, those of CT and MRI, and PET is generally poor at delineating anatomic detail.

Can I drink coffee the day before a PET scan?

Some may increase the risk of problems during your test. Your doctor will tell you if you should stop taking any of them before the test and how soon to do it. Don't drink caffeine for 24 hours before a PET scan of your heart. Don't do any exercise or other strenuous activity for at least 48 hours before this test.

Can you pee before a PET scan?

If you're having a brain PET-CT, it is important to limit brain activity before your scan. Your nurse may tell you not to read or listen to music while you're waiting for your scan. Your care team will ask you to urinate (pee) just before your scan.


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.

Can you fall asleep 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.

How do you flush your body after a PET scan?

What happens after the PET scan? After your PET scan, a very small amount of radioactive sugar will remain in your body. So, be sure to drink plenty of water to help flush it out your system. You don't need to follow any special dietary restrictions or guidelines after your PET scan.


What cancers Cannot be detected by PET scan?

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.

What does green mean on a PET scan?

A PET scan can compare a normal brain (left) with one affected by Alzheimer's disease (right). The loss of red color with an increase in yellow, blue and green colors shows areas of decreased metabolic activity in the brain due to Alzheimer's disease.

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.


Does a full body PET scan include the head?

However, with the introduction of intravenous contrast in several PET/CT protocols, entire body coverage (including head) due to availability of the faster scanners, the CT component of the PET/CT study can actually function as an independent CT scan of the brain and it has the potential to obviate the need for a ...

Can I drive after PET scan?

After the PET-CT scan

You can do normal activities after the scan. This includes driving. The staff will tell you to drink several glasses of water. This helps wash the radioactive substance and dye out of your body.

Do PET scans give immediate results?

Your PET/CT technologist will prepare your images for the radiologist, who will then forward the results to your physician within 24-48 hours after the procedure. Your doctor will then meet with you to discuss the results and answer any questions you may have.


What happens if I eat carbs the day before a PET scan?

The radioisotope that is used in PET imaging, fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose or 18F-FDG, is a glucose transporter. This radioisotope will go to any metabolically active areas in the body. If the glucose levels are elevated from food or drink the patient consumed prior to the test, the level of insulin will increase.

Can you eat fruit the night before PET scan?

Foods to avoid:

Carbohydrates: refined sugar, sweeteners, fruits, raisins, beets, carrots, corn, kidney beans, peas, yams, cereal, rice cakes, breads, muffins, tortillas, potatoes, pretzels, chips, rice, granola, oatmeal, pasta , sodas, fruit juices and flavored water.

Can I eat carbs a day before PET scan?

PET/CT SCAN DIET INSTRUCTIONS

Avoid food and drinks that contain sugar or carbohydrates for at least 24 hours before your scan. This will help to make sure that your images are of the best quality and help prevent having to reschedule your scan because of a blood sugar that is too high.


Why do I feel sick after PET scan?

PET-CT Precautions

If undergoing a combination PET-CT scan, the iodine-based contrast dye used for the CT component can cause side effects, including nausea, vomiting, headache, itching, flushing, and mild rash. In rare cases, a serious, all-body allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis may occur.

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.