AMERICAN RADIOLOGY SERVICES

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

PET stands for Positron Emission Tomography which is an imaging method that produces powerful images of the human body's biological functions. This differs from MRI and CT, which image anatomic structures. Therefore, PET and PET/CT scanners can detect disease processes earlier and more accurately. Primarily used in the diagnosis of cancer, PET and PET/CT reveal metastatic disease other imaging techniques simply cannot detect. PET and PET/CT has been shown to be a highly accurate and sensitive method to monitor treatment response in many types of cancers including characterization of solitary pulmonary nodule (SPN), lung cancer, lymphoma, melanoma, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, head and neck cancers, esophageal cancer, restaging thyroid cancer, and staging cervical cancer among other oncology indications.

Neurological indications for PET and PET/CT include pre-surgical evaluation for the purpose of localization of refractory seizure activity and the differential diagnosis of fronto-temporal dementia (FTD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Cardiology indications include myocardial viability as a primary or initial diagnostic study prior to revascularization.

In preparation for this procedure, the patient is asked not to eat for at least four hours prior to the PET or PET/CT exam. The patient should drink water to be well hydrated prior to the scan. A diabetic patient needs to regulate their blood glucose to a level less than 200 mg/l one hour before the study, the patient is administered an I.V. injection of a radioactive compound of glucose. The patient will be on the exam table for approximately thirty minutes to one hour. The PET or PET/CT examination is a very similar in experience on a CT scanner. The patient should expect to be at the imaging center for up to three hours.

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Patient Preparations: listed below, click to hide.

Preparations may be revised or altered at any time. Please confirm specific preparations for your study upon scheduling your examination.

Exam Name

Exam Preparation Instructions

All PET and PET/CT studies

Do not eat anything for at least (4) hours prior to your examination time.

Please drink at least 16 ounces of water during the four (4) hours prior to your examination while you are fasting from food.

Take your medications as usual unless instructed otherwise by the technologist or physician.

Please inform us if you are diabetic at the time your appointment is scheduled. Diabetics will receive special instructions about your diabetic medications. Blood glucose must be regulated below 200 mg/dl .

You will be asked to bring recent imaging studies and reports to your appointment. This will include CT, MRI and any prior PET or PET/CT studies.

Please wear comfortable clothing and expect a call from our technologist the day before your exam to review your appointment time and these instructions.

In addition, please let us know if you are or might be pregnant or currently breast feeding.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Quick Links:

Schedule an Appointment, Give Feedback after Visiting, Billing/Payment Questions, Request Films

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is available at the following locations:

Location / Day	MON	TUE	WED	THU	FRI	SAT	SUN
Calvert Medical Imaging Center	7:00am to 6:00pm	7:00am to 6:00pm	7:00am to 6:00pm	7:00am to 6:00pm	7:00am to 5:00pm
Frederick	8:00am to 4:00pm	8:00am to 4:00pm	8:00am to 4:00pm	8:00am to 4:00pm	8:00am to 4:00pm
Howard County	8:00am to 4:30pm	8:00am to 4:30pm	8:00am to 4:30pm	8:00am to 4:30pm	8:00am to 4:30pm	8:00am to 12:00pm
Timonium Crossing	7:30am to 4:00pm	7:30am to 4:00pm	7:30am to 4:00pm	7:30am to 4:00pm	7:30am to 4:00pm	8:00am to 12:00pm
Waldorf		7:30am to 4:00pm		7:30am to 4:00pm	7:30am to 4:00pm

*Pet Scan is offered every other Saturday at Howard County, please call for Saturday availability.

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