About
Your Exam

 

ACR Accredited PET Facility
FAQs - PET/CT
What is PET/CT?
What are some of the common uses for this procedure?
What are the benefits of PET/CT imaging?
Is PET/CT safe?
What is a radiopharmaceutical?
What is FDG?
Are there alternatives to PET/CT?
What should I do if my physician does not know about PET/CT?
Why is PET/CT not well known? Why have I never heard of it before?
Is a PET/CT scan painless?
Are there any dietary suggestions I should follow before having my PET/CT exam?
How much does a PET/CT scan cost?
Does insurance cover PET/CT?
 
What Is PET/CT?
By combining the imaging capabilities of PET (positron emission tomography) and CT (computed tomography), PET/CT fusion provides more definitive information about the human body than either method alone. The highly sensitive PET portion of the scan detects changes in cellular function—how your cells are utilizing nutrients such as sugar and oxygen. Since these functional changes typically take place before anatomical changes or medical symptoms occur, PET exam data enables your physician to diagnose disease at an earlier stage. The CT function acquires very detailed pictures of your body’s anatomical structures including bone and soft tissues. Using a computer, these 2-D images can be presented in 3-D for in-depth clinical evaluation. When these two scans are fused together, metabolic changes can be viewed in the proper anatomical context of your body. The findings a PET/CT offers allows your doctor to more accurately diagnose problems, determine the extent of disease, prescribe treatment and track progress.
back to top

What Are Some of the Common Uses For this Procedure?

PET/CT scanning is helping us better understand the fundamental nature of many diseases. Its ability to pinpoint abnormal metabolic activity in cells with a precise anatomical reference is revolutionizing patient care in several key areas.

Oncology Applications:

  • Differentiate benign from malignant tumors in suspicious areas
  • Survey whole body for cancer that may have spread
  • Monitor success of therapy
  • Assess tumor aggressiveness
Cardiology Applications:
  • Determine what heart tissue is still alive following a suspected heart attack
  • Predict success of angioplasty (balloon) or bypass surgery
  • Determine if coronary arteries are blocked
Neurology Applications:
  • Diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, stroke and brain tumors
  • Determine the location of epileptic seizures prior to surgery
  • Diagnose movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease
back to top
What Are the Benefits of PET/CT Imaging?
PET/CT offers these advantages:
  • Allows early diagnosis of disease, often before anatomical changes or medical symptoms occur
  • Provides accurate disease staging and localization for biopsy, surgery or treatment planning
  • Assesses response to and effectiveness of treatments
  • Detects residual or recurrent disease
  • Helps avoid invasive diagnostic procedures
back to top
Is PET/CT Safe?
The risks associated with a PET/CT scan are very minimal. The quantity of radiation is low and the FDG (see below) degrades quickly so that no detectable radioactivity is present after several hours. In addition to the radioactive decomposition, the remaining FDG is eliminated from the body through urine. Family members are not at risk for exposure since greater than 60% of the radioactivity has left the body or decomposed before the patient has left the center.
back to top

What Is a Radiopharmaceutical?
A radiopharmaceutical is a radioactive drug. The most commonly used PET/CT radiopharmaceutical is FDG, which is a radioactive form of glucose (sugar). Radiopharmaceuticals are produced in very specific cyclotrons by physicists and chemists.
back to top

What Is FDG?
2-Deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-Glucose, or FDG, is a type of glucose (sugar) and is the most common radiopharmaceutical used in PET. To begin the PET procedure, a small amount of glucose is injected into your bloodstream. There is no danger to you from this injection. Glucose is a common substance that every cell in your body needs in order to function. Diabetic patients do not need to worry; it would take 4,000 doses of FDG to equal the glucose in 1 teaspoon of sugar. FDG has a half-life of approximately 110 minutes, so it is quickly expelled from your body. FDG must pass multiple quality control measures before it is used for any patient injection.
back to top

Are There Alternatives to PET/CT?
Yes and no. There are other imaging exams that can be performed, but the information collected from a PET/CT scan is different from any other test that is available. At this time, PET is the only technique that captures metabolic function. CT and MRI are anatomic imaging modalities that look at the size and shape of organs and body structures. They can be useful in determining the size and location of a tumor, but neither has the ability of a PET scan to show whether a tumor is still active. By combing PET and CT capabilities, the PET/CT offers the best of both worlds by imaging form and function together. Currently, PET/CT is the only diagnostic tool that scans for brain disorders.
back to top

What Should I do If My Physician Does Not Know About PET/CT?
Contact Gary Beneze, our PET/CT Program Director, at gbeneze@washingtonimaging.com and he will make arrangements to provide educational materials to your physician. You may also wish to seek a second opinion.
back to top

Why Is PET/CT Not Well Known? Why Have I Never Heard of it Before?
While PET has been around for years, it has only been in the last few years that PET/CT has moved from the research realm to the clinically validated diagnostic/clinical sphere. All major insurance companies and Medicare now routinely cover most PET/CT scans.
back to top

Is a PET/CT Scan Painless?
The only pain involved is the needle prick when you receive the radiopharmaceutical injection, which does not differ from any other type of injection.
back to top

Are There Any Dietary Suggestions I Should Follow Before Having My PET/CT Exam?

Because elevated blood sugar can affect your exam results, we recommend that you follow a high protein diet with no or limited quantities (3 grams maximum per day) of carbohydrates at least 24 hours prior to your exam day. Menu suggestions follow. You can check the grams of carbohydrates in particular foods by visiting the Atkins website.

High Protein/No or Low Carbohydrate Diet Menu Suggestions:

  • Breakfast—Eggs any way you like them; plus any kind of breakfast meat (bacon, ham or sausage)
  • Lunch—Lettuce wraps made from iceberg lettuce with a small amount of mayonnaise or mustard rolled with cheese, lunch meat or tuna fish
  • Snack—Hard boiled egg or cheese stick
  • Dinner—Lean beef, chicken, fish or turkey made without breading or marinade; spinach salad with mushrooms, radishes, green onions, hard boiled eggs and vinaigrette dressing

Consult the PET/CT Exam Guidelines for more details. Remember, no food or drink except water for at least 12 hours prior to your exam.
back to top

How Much Does a PET/CT Scan Cost?
A PET/CT scan generally costs between $2,500 to $4,000 depending on the type and location of the scan.
back to top

Does Insurance Cover PET/CT?
Many PET/CT procedures are covered by both Medicare and private insurance companies. (Coverage decisions exclude initial diagnosis or the use of PET/CT as a screening test.). Once your doctor has ordered the scan, WIS will contact your insurance provider to verify coverage and get authorization for the procedure. We are typically able to schedule your scan within 48 hours of the receipt of the exam prescription.
back to top
 
See About Your Exam/PET/CT for exam preparation and patient experience information.
© Copyright 2006 - 2012 Washington Imaging Services, LLC All Rights Reserved