Appointments – Freeman Hospital : 0191 213 7719
What is a PET/CT scan?
PET is short for Positron Emission Tomography
CT is short for Computerised Tomography
A PET/CT scan is used to produce a detailed, three-dimensional picture of the inside of the body. The images clearly show the part of the body that is being investigated and highlight how effectively certain functions of the body are working.
The PET part of the scan provides us with functional imaging (practical information about how the body systems are working) whilst the CT gives us anatomical information (precise locations within the body).
Your appointment
Your appointment letter gives the time and date of your appointment. If you cannot attend your appointment, please call the number on your letter and we will change it for you.
Please do let us know so that we can offer this appointment to someone else.
Please contact us 48 hours before your scan if you:
- are diabetic
- are pregnant, breast-feeding or in contact with small children
- weigh over 100kg (16 stones)
- suffer from any allergies or asthma
- are on thyroid medication
- have any other appointments on the same day
On the day of your scan
Please do not have anything to eat or drink for six hours before your appointment. This includes cough sweets and mints. You may sip water if you are thirsty.
Please take any medication you have been prescribed as normal, unless you are diabetic or on thyroid medication. If you are on this medication, please call the number on your letter for more details.
Avoid strenuous activity for 24 hours before your test.
When you arrive
When you arrive, we will ask you to fill in a patient questionnaire before taking you into the department.
You will be asked to remove any metal objects and we may ask you to change into a patient gown. The procedure will be fully explained by one of our staff who will also take your brief clinical history.
Administration of the tracer
Once you are ready, we will give you an injection of radioactive material (the tracer) into a vein in your arm. The tracer helps us to get a better picture of the area we are scanning.
There are no side effects from the injection and it will not make you feel any different. We will ask you to remain lying down for an hour after your injection while it is absorbed into your body.
Scanning
Once the tracer has been absorbed into your 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 30-60 minutes depending on the type of scan you need.
After this you are free to leave the department. We recommend that you avoid prolonged close contact with pregnant women or small children for at least eight hours after your scan.
We also encourage you to drink plenty of fluids for the rest of the day, as this will help to flush any unabsorbed tracer liquid out of your body.
What if I have any comments or suggestions?
Should you have any suggestions or concerns, please make these known to the person conducting your examination or by letter addressed to the hospital that you are attending your examination:
The Departmental Manager, Main X-ray Department, Freeman Hospital, High Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE7 7DN
Telephone: 0191 2821099
Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.00pm
Switchboard Telephone: 0191 233 6161 (24 hours)
The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) can offer on-the-spot advice and information about the NHS. You can contact them on freephone 0800 032 02 02 or email northoftynepals@nhct.nhs.uk
Information produced by Nuclear Medicine.
Diagnostic Imaging Dataset
Information from your diagnostic test will contribute to the Diagnostic Imaging Dataset.
The Diagnostic Imaging Dataset (DID) is a database that holds information on the imaging tests and scans carried out on NHS patients. This will allow the Health and Social Care Information Centre to see how different tests are used across the country.
Nothing will ever be reported that identifies you. All information is stored securely. It is only made available to appropriate staff, and is kept strictly confidential. However, if you do not want your information to be stored in the DID, please tell the people who are treating you. They will make sure your information is not copied into the DID.
You may, at a later date, still decide to opt out. Please contact the Health and Social Care Information Centre directly, their contact details are:
Telephone: 0845 300 6016
Email: enquiries@ic.nhs.uk
Website: www.ic.nhs.uk
