pet scan in Iran

This method is different from X-ray, CT or MRI. All of these methods provide images, but a PET scan shows how the body works.

 

This method provides information about blood flow and how the body uses oxygen and sugar, and can provide important clues about how the disease occurs.

 

By performing a PET scan, the doctor will first give you a radioactive substance called a nuclear tracer (or "tracer"). The detector emits radiation, which is picked up by the pet scan machine. The pictures taken of you show where the contrast agent has gone. If the contrast agent accumulates in certain areas, it can be a sign of disease.

 

What are pet scans used for?

PET scans can help doctors test for disease, prepare for surgery, and see how successful the treatment process is. This procedure may be requested for a variety of reasons, but the most common are cancer, heart disease, and brain disease.

 

A doctor may use a PET scan for the following purposes:

Finding cancer

Seeing the spread of cancer or not

Checking the effectiveness of cancer treatment

Determining the recurrence of conditions after treatment

 

In the context of heart disease, your doctor may use a PET scan for the following purposes:

Checking the blood flow to the heart muscles

Deciding on the best treatment for clogged arteries

Observe the effects of a heart attack

 

In the field of brain diseases, the doctor may request this procedure for the following purposes:

Alzheimer's disease

Parkinson's disease

convulsions

stroke

Tumors

 

How do PET scans differ from CT and MRI scans?

Doctors use a variety of imaging methods for different reasons. In most cases this starts with an X-ray, as it is a quick way to get basic information. But if more detailed details are needed, a CT scan or MRI may be done.

Many doctors use hybrid MRI/PET and CT/PET scanners, which combine the two tools into a single scan. This allows doctors to perform a CT or MRI scan along with a PET scan at the same time.

A PET scan can show what is happening in the cells. One of the main reasons is that some diseases are not accompanied by changes that can be seen by MRI or CT scan at the beginning; But they cause changes in the way a person's cells function. This means that PET scans can help reveal diseases that other types of imaging cannot.

 

How to prepare for pet scan?

First, you need to inform your doctor about any of the following:

Allergies, especially to contrast agents, iodine, or seafood

Diseases such as diabetes, or any disease you have had recently

Medicines, herbs and supplements you take

 

If you are a woman, tell your doctor if any of the following apply to you:

Breastfeeding - You may need to breastfeed because you cannot breastfeed until the contrast agent is out of your body. Check with your doctor how long you should wait.

You're pregnant or think you might be – contrast agents can harm your baby, so talk to your doctor about better options.

Your doctor will give you specific instructions to prepare for the scan. Be sure to follow them carefully. In most cases it is necessary:

Avoid vigorous physical activity 24 hours before the scan

Before the scan, drink only water and avoid eating

Remove all jewelry and metal objects

 

How is the PET scan performed?

This depends on the area being scanned and why it is being done, but typically you should:

Wear a hospital gown

take a bath

Take a contrast agent—depending on the type, you either have to swallow it, inhale it, or get it by injection.

Wait 30 minutes to an hour for the body to absorb the contrast agent

Lie flat on your back while taking pictures. It is not important to talk or move during the scan, which can take up to an hour.

The pet scan machine is a large, open loop – like a standing donut – with a bed that moves in and out. If you have a fear of confined spaces, you may be given a sedative. You will hear the buzzing sound of the device, and its click when taking a photo.

 

The scan itself is painless. For some people, staying still for long periods of time is the hardest part and may cause pain or discomfort.

 

After the scan, drink plenty of fluids to flush the contrast agent out of your body. Because you will be radioactive for a short time, your doctor may recommend that you avoid contact with pregnant women, children, or infants. A few hours or a few days after the PET scan, the radioactive substance in the contrast agent will disappear and will no longer be radioactive. You eliminate this substance from your body through urine and feces.

 

PET scan risks and side effects

PET scan is painless and has few risks and side effects. But you may have discomfort or problems such as the following:

Pain or redness at the contrast agent injection site

It is difficult to spend time in the PET / CT machine if you are overweight

Claustrophobia, if you can't fit in tight spaces

Allergic reactions to a contrast agent, although this is rare and may be a mild reaction

Incorrect test results in diabetics whose blood sugar or insulin levels are not within the appropriate range during the test

The amount of exposure to radioactive materials is very low, but not negligible.