Michael is scheduled to have his first post radiation PET/CT scan CT on Friday 04/27/07. We are supposed to get the results on 4/30/07 - a holiday here for Confederate Memorial Day. His radiation ended 12/5/06. His first CT scan was 1/23/07 and was totally negative for any cancer. He is doing a little better has more energy (still tired by late afternoon), eating better (still takes a Boost or so a day), pretty much maintaining his weight (not gaining). We heard just yesterday about an old friend who supposedly had beaten stomach cancer dying. Anyway I think we both feel fairly confident about, hopefully, getting good results, but it is just so

Hi Barbara,

I had my first PET/CT Monday - at 6 months post treatment.

The only things pre-test were: 1) no heavy physical exercise for 24 hours prior; 2) no food 4 hours prior (only water and barium). There were no other requirements in the instructions.

They checked blood sugar prior to administering the radioactive sugar(tech said this checks that I didn't cheat and have a milkshake prior to coming in), and it was within normal range.

Regarding anxiety, my coping mechanism was to say to myself that whatever is there is there and the PET/CT has no bearing on it.

Best wishes,

Chris

Hi Barb,

My husband is scheduling his second CT/PET scan. Actually it is being rescheduled. We went last Saturday morning and the machine was broke. That was a real let-down. We have to prepare ourselves all over again. Anyhow, his instructions are no carbs or sugar for 48 hours before the test, no strenous activity for 24 hours before the test and nothing to eat or drink 5 hours before the test (except small sips of water). I wish I could tell you they get easier as time goes on but it doesn't seem like they do. Good luck!

At the hospital where I had my PET done, it was actually standard policy to issue a valium to all patients. I am not claustrophobic, but I am glad they gave me the pill. Lucikly the PET scan for the head and neck only takes about 15 minutes so it is a very short amount of discomfort and its done. I am certainly glad I did mine after it was all done.

Jim

I had my third PET/CT yesterday. Last one was in August 06. Instructions were:

No food for 8 hours prior to scan. Drink water, but no other type of liquid

Restrict carbohydrates for 24 hours. That means NO carbs or sugar.

You are injected with a radioactive glucose about an hour prior to the PET. The idea is that cancer cells are 'hypermetabolic'; they use glucose (sugar) faster than other cells and will 'light up'.

Hope that helps.

Thank you all for the advice. The PET scan went OK. Now we have to wait for the results on Monday at 10:00. Still scary

I will add to the pre-PET advice to not chew gum. That was on my hospital's instruction sheet. My son is a radiologist, and he says that, since the PET measures metabolic activity, you don't want to over-exercise your mouth tissues and cause inaccurate results, since our mouths and throats are what we need most to see clearly on the scan. I think that it would also apply to excessive talking.....just do all that you can do to ensure an accurate test, so if being a little quieter and calmer than usual...and not eating or chewing gum...will help, then it is a small price to pay.