Information for patients

On the day of your scan

Unless we tell you otherwise, please do not have anything to eat or drink for 6 hours prior to your appointment (except water). We encourage you to drink plenty of water both before and after your scan (approximately 4 to 5 glasses) as this helps flush the injection we give you through your body. You may continue to use the toilet as usual prior to your scan.

The PET/CT facility you visit may be used for appropriately supervised Clinical Training. Please inform the staff if you object to being seen by staff in training.

Please be punctual

It is very important to arrive on time for your appointment. For the procedure you will be given an injection which has a very short shelf life. Consequently if you are late we will not be able to proceed with your scan.

When you arrive at the hospital

Once you have checked in for your appointment we will walk you through to the patient preparation area. Here you may be asked to change into a gown and remove any jewellery or metallic objects. The procedure will be fully explained by one of our team who will also take a brief clinical history.

Giving the tracer

In order for us to obtain images, we will give you an injection of a tracer into a vein – usually your arm. This is similar to a blood test. After receiving the injection you will need to rest and remain lying down for approximately 1 hour while the injection is absorbed into your body.

Your scan

Once the tracer has been absorbed into the body, you are ready for your scan. In the scanning room, you will be asked to lie down on your back on the scanning bed. The bed will move through the ring of the scanner and collect images for between 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the type of scan that you need. You may bring a favourite CD to listen to if you wish.