A PET/CT scan is an essential diagnostic tool used by the exceptional team at Choice Cancer Care in Plano, Lewisville, Irving, and Southlake, Texas. They offer this advanced imaging in the office to get a clear picture of your condition without sending you to another facility or waiting for results. To schedule a PET/CT scan or to ask any questions about the procedure or an upcoming scan, call one of the offices or schedule an appointment online today.
Combining a PET scan with a CT scan gives the team at Choice Cancer Care the detailed 3D images they need to accurately diagnose, treat, and monitor your cancer.
PET scans create images using small amounts of radioactive materials called radiotracers. The radiotracers pinpoint metabolic, biochemical, and molecular activity. This gives PET scans the ability to highlight diseases at their earliest stage.
The team at Choice Cancer Care uses a radiotracer that allows them to detect cancer before it’s visible on other imaging tests.
CT scans take a series of X-rays from different angles. The computer uses the information to create cross-sectional images; then it turns the images into 3D views of structures such as your organs, muscles, blood vessels, and bones.
The Choice Cancer Care team has a machine on-site that does both scans and then merges the information, creating an image that precisely shows the tumor’s size, shape, and location.
The doctors at Choice Cancer Care use a PET/CT scan to:
PET/CT scans help your doctor diagnose most types of cancer, especially hard-to-spot cancers like neck cancer and skin cancer that has metastasized.
Before you go in for your scan, your provider gives you the radiotracer, which may be through an IV or swallowed. You may also need to drink a contrast material that highlights the intestines and helps the team interpret your scan.
It takes 30-60 minutes for the radiotracer to travel through your body before time to get your scan.
The PET/CT machine looks like a big donut. You lay down on a table that carries you into the hole in the center. The machine is open in the front and back, and the core is broad to prevent claustrophobia or anxiety.
The machine first does a CT scan, then the PET scan. In some cases, your provider does a second CT scan with contrast material. Your total scanning time should be about 30 minutes.
If you need to schedule a PET/CT scan or have questions about the procedure, call Choice Cancer Care, or book an appointment online today.
