What Is A PET/CT Scan?
A PET-CT For Every
Body
What to Expect During
Your Scan
How is PET/CT Used
Preparing For Your
Scan
How Will I Get The Results Of
My Exam?
Will My Insurance Cover PET/CT Scans?
TRA is proud to be the first on the West Coast to offer Philips Gemini Time of
Flight PET-CT scanner.
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan and PET-CT (the combination of PET
and Computed Tomography—CT) is used to diagnose cancer and other diseases
as early as possible.
This particular PET-CT features a breakthrough in PET imaging technology called “Time
of Flight” which allows for increased imaging sensitivity and faster
imaging times. It is technology physicists have worked on for over 20 years!
For heavier patients, imaging sensitivity has always been a problem as image
clarity is impacted as patient weight increases. “Time of Flight” technology
has the ability to “even out the field” so that image quality and
the accuracy of the exam remain constant even for the heaviest of patients.
What Is A PET/CT Scan?
PET/CT (positron emission tomography/computed tomography)
is a remarkable diagnostic imaging tool used to study cancer, neurological
disease and certain cardiac conditions.
PET does not “see” anatomy the way traditional imaging (like X-ray,
CT, MRI) does, but it can detect how metabolically active the various tissues
in your body are. PET/CT combines the structural images from CT with PET’s
ability to determine where your metabolism is most active.
A PET-CT For Every Body
The open design between the PET and CT portions of our
scanner is much more comfortable for patients who are claustrophobic.
Additionally, the wide diameter of the bore
(donut) easily accommodates patients up to 400 pounds. And especially important,
new technology enables patients of all sizes to benefit from the most accurate
scans available today.
What to Expect During Your Scan
About an hour before your exam, you will receive an intravenous
(IV) injection of a glucose-based radiopharmaceutical tracer called FDG.
You will then rest
quietly as the glucose is consumed by the cells in your body. We will
then assist you to lie on your back on the scanner bed and help you remain
comfortable, warm
and still. During the scan, PET detectors record the tracer rays emitted
from the glucose in your body. The table will move through the scanner
a few inches
at a time and the images will be combined to create a 3-D image of your
body highlighting areas of high or low metabolism. Scan time is usually
15-20 minutes.
How is PET/CT Used?
Cancer Detection
PET/CT has been shown to be a highly accurate method to diagnose
and stage cancer, check for tumor recurrence and monitor response to
cancer
therapy.
Information
gained by PET/CT scans can be used to determine what combination of surgery,
radiation therapy, or chemotherapy will most likely be successful in
managing each individual’s disease.
Dementia Evaluation
PET imaging of the brain helps determine a cause for dementia.
A PET scan will reveal if regions of the brain have decreased
metabolism in
patterns
typical
of various neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and
other dementias. An accurate, early diagnosis will enable patients to
maximize the benefits from the appropriate medications, as well as allow
families
to help
their loved one plan for the future.
Cardiac Disease
If you have had a heart attack, your healthcare provider may recommend
a PET/CT scan to determine if damaged heart muscle might recover with
treatment. PET
has the ability to detect reduced blood flow and intact glucose metabolism
due to “hibernating” yet
viable heart muscle.
Preparing For Your Scan
Your exam preparation will depend on the type of study. If you have any
additional questions, call a Referral Coordinator at (866) 761-4200.
For All PET Scan Patients
You may have: meat, vegetables, eggs, cheese and milk.
Morning appointments: nothing to eat or drink (except water)
after midnight
Afternoon appointments: nothing to eat or drink (except water)
after 6 am. Early morning breakfast of protein only.
How Will I Get The Results Of My Exam?
A report from our radiologist will be forwarded to your
healthcare provider, who will discuss your results with you.
Will My Insurance Cover PET/CT Scans?
Medicare and many other health insurance plans now cover
many clinical indications for PET. Additionally, there is a new avenue
for Medicare patients to have previously non-covered cancers
and clinical indications reimbursed when your physician enrolls
you in the National Oncologic PET Registry. TRA referral coordinators
will work with your referring physician and insurance carrier
to complete the required pre-exam authorization process.
Your financial responsibility will depend upon the type of
insurance plan you have. Please understand that billing does
not guarantee
eligibility or payment. Patients are responsible for any unmet
portion of their deductible.
