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PET/CT Scan
The state-of-the-art PET/CT scans are provided by Aliance Imaging in a mobile unit that visits HRMC weekly. (Patients scheduled for the scan will come to Registration at the Diagnostic Imaging Department, 2nd Floor, to be escorted to the mobile unit for the scan.)
The scan combines the two technologies of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with Computed Tomography (CT) into a fused image that provides the Radiologist or Radiation Oncologist with highly effective imaging of anatomy and metabolic functions of specific human organs, tissue and bone.
PET/CT is also used to accurately diagnose and treat cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, Graves disease and Parkinson’s disease.
Scans must be scheduled by your physician or oncologist by calling the Alliance Imaging toll-free scheduling line at 877-688-6122, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The physician’s office may also fax an order to 877-442-1656. On the day of the scan, patients will come to Registration at HRMC and be escorted to the PET/CT coach by Imaging Center staff.
Preparing for the examYour doctor will explain the restrictions on food and drink necessary to prepare for the exam.
Be sure to let your doctor know if you are allergic to iodine or seafood, or if you are (or could be) pregnant or if you are breastfeeding. Inform your doctor of any medications and supplements you are taking, including vitamins.
You will need to remove metal items such as jewelry, hairpins, eyeglasses, and dentures before the exam. The examYou will be given a radioactive tracer for the scan to make the organs more visible. You may be asked to drink some contrast material, depending on the nature of the medical problem being examined. During a PET/CT Scan, you will lie on a movable table that moves your body through a large donut-shaped ring. As you pass through the ring, the scanner takes a complete 360-degree picture of you and sends it to a computer. The table moves a small distance and another picture is taken and sent to the computer. This process is repeated until the computer has enough information to reconstruct a complete image of your internal anatomy.
During the exam you will hear the sound of the motors and gears. It is important that you lie still because any movement can blur the images. The scan could take 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the part of your body being scanned. After the scan you will able to return to your normal activities.
After the examThe Radiologist who reads your scan will report to your physician on the results of the test.
Your doctor will explain the results to you and
recommend follow-up treatment, if needed.
Diagnostic Imaging
- PET/CT Scan
About Us
Medical Services
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4215 Joe Ramsey Blvd.
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The latest technology in internal imaging is available at Hunt Regional
Medical Center.
Affiliated
with Baylor Health Care System