WHAT IS POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY?

PET is a type of imaging which allows us to look at the sugar metabolism in the body. This can be helpful in the evaluation of certain diseases such as cancers, cardiac diseases and infections.

The test will take about 2-3 hours.

HOW DO I PREPARE FOR THIS TEST?

Please DO NOT eat for 8 hours prior to the test. You can drink as much water as you like, no gum, no candy, no breath mints, just plain water only. Do NOT drink any other beverages.

There is a reason for this! If you take ANY form of sugar or glucose in the 8 hours before the test, then the test will not work!

You may take your usual medications. If you need to take medications and are unable to take them without food, please call us so we can give you instructions. Please dress warmly because the room is a little bit cold.

Please DO NOT wear any metal. NO zippers, snaps, bras with metal hooks or underwire. NO jewelry. NO metal in the hair.

Please alert us if you have diabetes!

Prepare a list with the names of all the medicines you are currently taking, and a brief medical history. Please include the names and dates of other tests and treatments you have had for your current illness.

Please wear loose-fitting, comfortable, WARM clothes (temperature in the imaging suite is only 60 degrees!). You will have to lie on your back for periods of up to 75 minutes. Please let us know if this is going to be a problem for you.

If you are unable to keep your appointment, please call {b (510)675-2778] to cancel. Give at least 24 hours notice when possible. This test is time-consuming, expensive and specialized, and currently can only be provided here at Hayward Kaiser one day a week. Patients are very carefully selected for this procedure and it is very important not to have any wasted slots.

HOW IS THE TEST DONE?

Please register for your appointment at the Radiology Department (Hospital Main Building, 1st floor), 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment time, to allow time for you to be given barium to drink. The technologist will then escort you to the trailer. Once in the trailer, you will be prepared for injection. You will lie down on a gurney and a small amount of radioactive glucose (sugar) material will be injected into a vein in your arm. There are no side effects from the radioactive injection. You will lie there for 30-45 minutes in this position. This part of the test is called the "uptake". Here the technologist is waiting for the glucose to be taken up by the cells in your body. It is extremely important that you keep all your muscles very still during this time. If you move too much, then the muscles will show up on the scan and the scan becomes very difficult to interpret. It is also very important that you keep neck and facial muscles still, keep your eyes closed, do not talk or lick your lips, and minimize any swallowing. If you have a troublesome cough, please let us know ahead of time!

After the "uptake", you will be asked to empty your bladder and then you will be taken to the camera room. You will be asked to lie on your back and stay very still again. If you have back problems or will have difficulty lying down, please tell the technologist. The technologists will make you as comfortable as possible. You may have to lie with your arms extended above your shoulders. If this is a problem for you, please let us know! The scan will last approximately 75 minutes.

WHAT DO I DO AFTER THE TEST?

You may go home after the test is finished and resume your regular diet. Your urine will be slightly radioactive after the test. Drink one glass of water every hour for the next 6 hours and wash your hands after using the toilet.

HOW DO I FIND OUT ABOUT MY TEST RESULTS?

The results will be sent to your doctor in one or two days, and he/she will explain them to you.

If you have any questions regarding any of the above information, please call our PET scheduler at (510) 675-2778 between the hours of 8:00 am to 7:30 pm. If you have called after hours, please remember to leave your name, medical record number, telephone number, and message of any length. Further information about this procedure is available in the Health Education Library on the second floor of the Clinic Building and on the KP website at http://kp.org/fremonthayward.

Richard Kuno, M.D. Director of Nuclear Medicine