Nuclear medicine - PET-Scan

General description

You will find below a general description of the so-called "whole body" examinations, which are the most frequent types of examination.

In some special cases or for other PET-scan applications, different procedures may apply. If you are concerned, you will be provided with all the necessary information.

What is a 18F-FDG PET-Scan ?

"PET" is the abbreviation for "Positron Emission Tomography".

This medical imaging technique is based on the administration of a weakly radioactive "tracer" (18F-FDG).

This tracer is similar to glucose (sugar) and is injected intravenously.

It then collects in cancerous or inflammatory tissues to temporarily emit radiation that can be tracked in the patient's body through a PET-CT camera.

This is a state-of-the-art medical imaging technique.

The characteristic that makes this technique unique is that the image obtained reflects the metabolic activity of the organs or tumours, unlike X-rays and CT-scanners, which study the anatomy of organs.

During the same examination, an X-ray scan, with or without injection of a contrast agent, is also carried out.

The two types of images are then superimposed (image fusion), which makes it easier to locate the areas where the tracer has collected.

How do I prepare for a PET-scan?

To complete the examination under the best conditions, you must fast for 6 hours before the examination.

- If the examination takes place in the morning, you will need to fast from midnight onwards.

- If the examination takes place in the afternoon, you can have a light breakfast before 07:00 in the morning then fast.

However, drinking water or black coffee (without milk or sugar) and taking your usual medication is permitted.

I am a diabetic: do I have to follow a specific preparation?

YES.

If you are diabetic, you must have taken your treatment and your diabetes must be controlled.

All useful information will be provided to you when making your appointment. It is important to follow these instructions carefully.

What documents do I need to bring?

You will bring your request for examination as well as any administrative documents allowing you to prove your identity (identity card, passport, ...).

Also bring a bottle of water.

How long will the examination last?

Most patients spend about 2 hours in our unit from start to finish.

The schedule may be disrupted for technical and/or human reasons. If so, you will be notified

Are there any recommendations for the appointment I have been given?

Since this examination is expensive and in great demand, it is of the utmost important that you keep to the appointment time given to you.

The unit's secretary will call you the day before your examination to remind you of your appointment and the main instructions to follow.

If you are unable to come, or if you think you will be late, please notify us as soon as possible, and if possible 48 jours before your appointment.

The tracer (18F-FDG) is not manufactured in the nuclear medicine unit itself and is delivered every morning according to the number of planned appointments.

Exceptionnally, due to manufacturing problems, it may not be possible to carry out the examination on the day or at the time scheduled.

In this case, as the unit is notified that same morning, we do our best to warn you as soon as possible.

What information will the doctor of the unit need?

Most of the time, if you are sent by a Chirec doctor, the doctor of the unit has access to your computerised medical record.

However, depending on the reason for your examination, you may be asked to provide the following information:

- Date of previous treatment: surgery, biopsy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, etc.

- Some medical history, even old: cancer treated, infection (ENT, pulmonary, etc.), inflammatory disease, trauma, recent fracture, etc.

- Current medicines

- Results of possible additional examinations: imaging or blood tests.

- Allergies, in particular to iodinated contrast media.

How does the examination take place?

Upon your arrival, after completing the administrative formalities, you will be taken care by our team.

Accompanying persons are not admitted to the controlled area (except in certain cases of paediatric examinations).

You will be taken to a quiet room to rest. You will be put on a drip, the blood sugar level (blood sugar) will be controlled and the tracer will be injected.

There is no danger of an allergic reaction with this product. However, if you are allergic to iodinated contrast media (scan iodine) please let us know.

You will then be asked to remain seated in the injection chair for 60 to 90 minutes. This period is crucial because it allows the tracer to spread through your body and to collect in the lesions or lesions being tracked.

During this waiting period, you will be asked to drink around half a litre of water to allow a good distribution of the tracer and to accelerate the urinary elimination.

A blanket will be at your disposal to cover you if you are cold.

At the end of the waiting period, you will be asked to empty your bladder. You will not have to underdress completely but you will be asked to prepare yourself by removing all metal objects (clothes with zips or clips, metal buttons, keys, jewellery, small change, etc.)

The examination itself lasts between 20 and 45 minutes, with or without injection of iodinated contrast agent, depending on the indication.

You will be asked to lie down on the examination table, on your back, arms behind the head or more rarely along the body.

During the examination, the table will move several times, to carry out the various image captures.

The examination is not noisy (unlike an MRI scan). To ensure that the examination goes smoothly, you must remain calm and relaxed without moving.

If the doctor has asked for an injection of iodinated contrast agent (scanner with injection), this is done at the end of the examination, intravenously with a pump.

Is the examination dangerous?

The amount of radioactivity injected is low and is a type of radioactivity that disappears very quickly (short half-life).

The risk associated with irradiation is therefore very low as well. There is no risk for you or your entourage.

Drinking sufficient water during the period of incorporation of the product greatly reduces irradiation by accelerating the urinary elimination of the unfixed product.

However, as with any radioisotope test, the following precautions apply:

Avoid close (less than 1m) and prolonged (more than 30 minutes) contact with others, but especially with young children (under the age of 10) and pregnant women during the rest of the day, even if there is no significant risk due to this contact.

This avoids unnecessary exposure to the rays.

The examination is contraindicated in case of pregnancy and special precautions apply if you are breastfeeding. They will be explained to you by the competent personnel.

For any further information, please contact our unit on +32 2 434 41 70.