Before Your Appointment
Please click on a question in the list to jump to the answer.
- What is a PET/CT scan?
- How will I receive details of my appointment?
- How does it work?
- How do I know where to go for my appointment?
- What do I do if I need to change or cancel my appointment?
- Can I bring someone with me to my appointment?
- What preparation do I need?
- Is this scan suitable for everyone?
- Is this information available in my language?
A. Your doctor has arranged for you to have a PET/CT scan. This scan involves you initially receiving an injection (usually in the arm) of a low-dose radioactive form of glucose, which allows the measuring of the activity of cells in different parts of the body and what they look like. After a rest period of about an hour, a scan is then carried out which is painless and usually takes about 30 minutes.
Q. How will I receive details of my appointment?
A. Our Patient Referral Centre (PRC) will contact you soon after receiving a referral from your doctor. We will arrange an appointment time that’s convenient for you, and then send you a letter confirming the appointment. This letter will include a leaflet explaining everything you need to know about your scan. You can also read this information and download the leaflet on the About your Scan page.
A. The scan is a sophisticated type of x-ray that creates a three-dimensional picture of the inside of the body. The images taken produce a detailed picture of the internal anatomy. These images will allow your doctor to plan your treatment more accurately.
Q. How do I know where to go for my appointment?
A. We’ll give you details of your appointment location when we arrange the time. Once you know where your appointment is taking place, you can find out more information about the location and get detailed directions from your home, by visiting the Your Scanning Location page.
Q. What do I do if I need to change or cancel my appointment?
A. If you realise that you will be late or unable to attend the unit please contact the Patient Referral Centre: 0845 600 2953.
Q. Can I bring someone with me to my appointment?
A. You cannot bring friends or relatives into the mobile PET/CT unit. Friends and relatives who accompany you to the unit, will have to wait outside the unit, but will be advised when you are ready to leave. Please do not bring children or pregnant friends, because the PET/CT scan uses radiation.
Q. What preparation do I need?
A.
You should not eat for 6 hours prior to your scan appointment time. Prior to your appointment you should drink plenty of plain water, but please avoid water which is flavoured or diluted with cordial. Please continue to take your usual medication on the day of the scan including pain killers. Bring your medication with you should it coincide with your scan time. Please leave all jewellery at home, and wear comfortable clothes that contain little metal, a tracksuit is ideal. Please avoid strenuous physical activity for 24 hours before the scan e.g. Horse riding, exercising in the gym.
The 18FDG (the radioactive form of glucose) has a very short half-life and therefore can not be kept in stock. Production of every dose occurs on the morning of the scan. The manufacturing process is extremely complex and subsequently, on rare occasions, the production may be unsuccessful or of low yield with the consequence that we will have to cancel your appointment. Such incidents are unfortunately out of our control and whilst we will always do our best to honour your appointment, inevitably there will be occasions when this is not possible. In the event of this occurring, we will endeavour to inform you of the cancellation as soon as possible, but this would normally be on the same day as the scan. We will of course issue you with the next available appointment date that is convenient to you.
Q. Is this scan suitable for everyone?
A. You maybe contacted by one of our radiographers if:
- You are pregnant or think that you might be pregnant
- You are breast feeding
- You are a diabetic
- You have had problems with injections in the past
- You suffer from claustrophobia
Please mention any of these conditions when you are contacted by our Patient Referral Centre.
Q. Is this information available in my language?
A. Our Patient Information leaflet is available in many different languages, which can all be downloaded from the About your Scan page.
