What to expect during check-in

The registration process takes approximately 20 minutes. We ask you arrive 30 minutes prior to your exam time to complete all necessary paperwork.
When arriving for your appointment, please be prepared to provide a government issued photo ID, Insurance Card, copy of the physician's order (we should have a copy, but request you bring the order should you have it) and any previous imaging study results (i.e. CT, MRI, PET, Nuclear Medicine, and/or x-ray exams).​​​

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What to expect during the exam

One of our compassionate, specialty trained PET Technologists will assist you to our PET Suite. They will review your paperwork, ask questions pertaining to your case and explain the procedure to you.
•    You will receive an injection of a radiotracer made up of glucose and a short-lived radioisotope.
•    You will rest quietly for 60 minutes while the radiotracer travels throughout your body. The minimal radiation associated with the radiotracer is safe and much lower than that associated with many diagnostic CT scans. You will not feel warmth, pain, or discomfort with the injection. You may bring a book, phone, tablet, etc… but please keep sound volume to a minimum. Headphones are preferred as a courtesy to other patients.
•    When it is time for the imaging, the technologist will assist you to lie on your back. Every effort will be made to make you as comfortable as possible. You will pass slowly through a body scanner that resembles a CT scanner. The scanner detects and records signals emitted by the radiotracer. A computer processes these signals into images. The scan will take approximately 15-20 minutes.

 

What to expect after the exam

You should feel fine, as there are no known side effects from the injected tracer.

The processed images will be reviewed by one of our Radiologists.
The results are sent to your physician within 24 hours.
Please call only your physician for the results of the study so you can follow up as your physician has instructed.

If you were fasting prior to the exam, please resume normal diet.