Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Computerized Tomography (CT) are both standard imaging tools that allow physicians to pinpoint the location of a malignancy and disease within the body to assist your physician in prescribing treatment options. The highly sensitive PET scan detects the metabolic signal of actively growing malignant cells in the body, and the CT scan provides a detailed picture of the internal anatomy that reveals the location, size, and shape of abnormal malignant growths.

A PET scan uses a small dosage of a chemical called radionuclide combined with a sugar. This combination is injected into the patient. The radionuclide emits positrons. A PET scanner will rotate around a patient’s body to detect the positron emissions given off by the radionuclide. Because malignant tumors are growing at such a fast rate compared to healthy tissue, the tumor cells will use up more of the sugar which has the radionuclide attached to it. The computer then uses the measurements of glucose used to produce a picture which is color coded.

Alone, each imaging test has particular benefits and limitations, but when the results of PET and CT scans are "fused" together, the combined image provides your physician with more complete information.

Because a PET scan involves radioactivity, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or if there is a possibility that you might be pregnant. Tell your doctor if you think you will be unable to lie down very still for 30 minutes during your PET scan.

After a careful review of your history and any prior treatments i.e., chemotherapy, radiation therapy and current medications, an IV will be started and you will receive an injection of a radiopharmaceutical. You will then wait 60-90 minutes for the radiopharmaceutical to distribute itself throughout your body. Movement, reading or any other activity during that time is restricted. You will relax in one of our two uptake suites. After that, you will be escorted to the imaging camera. A brief scan will be taken using the CT part of the scanner to provide a picture of your anatomy, which will take about 5 minutes. Then the PET scan pictures will be taken, this will last anywhere from 20 minutes to 45 minutes depending on the type of scan that is right for you. If diagnostic CT images are needed, these pictures will be taken following the PET scan.

If you're here for a heart study, you may not have to wait at all; the radiopharmaceuticals used for cardiac exams are often administered just before scanning begins.

Approximately two to three hours

Lying down, the table will move you through a gantry (opening shaped like a large ring) which houses the x-ray tube and a set of detectors. Images are acquired by detectors which x-ray your body.

An experienced board certified radiologist at Central Georgia Diagnostics will read the tests and promptly send the report to your doctor.

As always, please let your doctor or the PET technologist know of any concerns or questions you may have prior to this exam. It is our goal to ensure you have an accurate and comfortable exam