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StephN · 04-16-2010, 11:51 AM

From my first PET scan in 2000 (BTW it was in "investigative mode" those days - new software or something) I have always had to stay in a small room ALONE with the lights down. With my head and neck supported and relaxed. I wanted to read and had a book, but the tech said I could only read for the first 20 minutes then came and made sure I put the book away the lights were even lower. They say it is OK to nap or drift off.

Reasoning is, like someone else mentioned, they want the contrast to distribute evenly in your tissues and holding a book will interrupt up take into the chest wall if those muscles are in use.

I am always asked to empty my bladder on the way to the scanner so that I DO NOT have so much of a hot spot in that area of my scan. (The same was asked of me for my recent bone scan.)

Sort of surprising that there is not a more standard protocol on this scan...

04-16-2010, 11:51 AM	#16
StephN Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Misty woods of WA State Posts: 4,128	Re: Radioactive after FDG injection???? From my first PET scan in 2000 (BTW it was in "investigative mode" those days - new software or something) I have always had to stay in a small room ALONE with the lights down. With my head and neck supported and relaxed. I wanted to read and had a book, but the tech said I could only read for the first 20 minutes then came and made sure I put the book away the lights were even lower. They say it is OK to nap or drift off. Reasoning is, like someone else mentioned, they want the contrast to distribute evenly in your tissues and holding a book will interrupt up take into the chest wall if those muscles are in use. I am always asked to empty my bladder on the way to the scanner so that I DO NOT have so much of a hot spot in that area of my scan. (The same was asked of me for my recent bone scan.) Sort of surprising that there is not a more standard protocol on this scan... __________________ "When I hear music, I fear no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe. I am related to the earliest times, and to the latest." H.D. Thoreau Live in the moment. MY STORY SO FAR ~~~~ Found suspicious lump 9/2000 Lumpectomy, then node dissection and port placement Stage IIB, 8 pos nodes of 18, Grade 3, ER & PR - Adriamycin 12 weekly, taxotere 4 rounds 36 rads - very little burning 3 mos after rads liver full of tumors, Stage IV Jan 2002, one spot on sternum Weekly Taxol, Navelbine, Herceptin for 27 rounds to NED! 2003 & 2004 no active disease - 3 weekly Herceptin + Zometa Jan 2005 two mets to brain - Gamma Knife on Jan 18 All clear until treated cerebellum spot showing activity on Jan 2006 brain MRI & brain PET Brain surgery on Feb 9, 2006 - no cancer, 100% radiation necrosis - tumor was still dying Continue as NED while on Herceptin & quarterly Zometa Fall-2006 - off Zometa - watching one small brain spot (scar?) 2007 - spot/scar in brain stable - finished anticoagulation therapy for clot along my port-a-catheter - 3 angioplasties to unblock vena cava 2008 - Brain and body still NED! Port removed and scans in Dec. Dec 2008 - stop Herceptin - Vaccine Trial at U of W begun in Oct. of 2011 STILL NED everywhere in Feb 2014 - on wing & prayer 7/14 - Started twice yearly Zometa for my bones Jan. 2015 checkup still shows NED 2015 Neuropathy in feet - otherwise all OK - still NED. Same news for 2016 and all of 2017. Nov of 2017 - had small skin cancer removed from my face. Will have Zometa end of Jan. 2018. Last edited by StephN; 04-16-2010 at 11:53 AM..