Admin_NHT Staff asked 6 years ago A PET Scan, or positron emission tomography scan, is used to image the functioning of various tissues and organs. The PET Scan uses a radioactive drug tracer which can be either injected orally, inhaled, or via intravenous means depending on the site of inspection. This technique is applied to sometimes detect certain diseases before they show up on other kinds of imaging techniques e.g. cancer or heart disorders.
Before the procedure, the patient is asked to empty his bladder and change into a hospital gown. He is then given the radioactive tracer and asked to wait for about 30-60 minutes for the tracer to be absorbed by the body. He is then made to lie down on a table which then goes into the PET scanner, which is similar to a CT Scanner. The test takes about 30 minutes to complete and is painless. It is usually an outpatient procedure and does not require any overnight stay.
Since a radioactive drug is involved there are risks involved like an allergic reaction, radiation exposure to your unborn baby, or radiation exposure to a child who is breastfeeding. The doctor should also be notified if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, if you are on certain medications or have been sick in the last couple of months, or if you’ve had an allergic reaction in the past.