The PET scan (What is one)

 Okay, so what's a PET scan?

When it comes to diagnosing and monitoring cancer, doctors rely on advanced imaging techniques to gain a clearer picture of what’s happening inside the body. One such tool is the Positron Emission Tomography (PET) (Ooohh don't i sound clever!) scan, a powerful medical imaging test that helps detect cancer and evaluate its progression.

What is a PET Scan?

A PET scan is a type of nuclear medicine imaging that uses a small amount of radioactive material, known as a tracer, to highlight areas of high metabolic activity in the body. Since cancer cells tend to grow and divide more rapidly than normal cells, they absorb the tracer at a higher rate, making them stand out in the scan images.

How Does a PET Scan Work?

Injection of the Tracer – A radioactive tracer, usually fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), is injected into the patient’s bloodstream.

Absorption by Cells – The tracer circulates throughout the body and is absorbed by tissues based on their metabolic activity. This is the boring part as once the tracer is injected, the patient has to sit completely still for 1 hour before the imaging can start.

Imaging Process – The PET scanner detects the radiation emitted by the tracer and creates detailed 3D images of the body.

 Analysis – Radiologists and oncologists analyze the images to identify abnormal activity that may indicate cancerous growths.

The whole process takes a little over 2 hours. The results are then sent on to your team to discuss before they report them back to you.

 

What was our experience like?

We got the diagnosis on the 8th, we were invited to meet our Oncologist at the first available clinic on the 13th, and the PET scan was booked in for the 14th.

Two things to note with those appointments.

1- We were feeling very blessed and glad things were moving quickly and we'd have answers soon.

2 - The devil on your shoulder wonders if they are rushing things because it's bad.

Life's all about balance!

After a cancer diagnosis, walking into a Cancer ward or unit for the first time is really hard and upsetting.

You might also start to notice cancer adverts on the TV and radio more often, adverts for hospices, funeral planning and wills. We certainly did! Once something affects you or someone you love, you're bound to see it more often.

Arriving at the PET scan departmen,t the waiting room is full of posters for hospice care, images of patients. Don't get me wrong, the images look positive, hospices are amazing and joyful places. It's just that in those early and raw days, when the fear is still so new, those things are really hard to see.

The waiting room is divided into two zones. Pre and post scan. The reason for this is in the time after the scan, the patient is a little radioactive (Tony was heart broken not to have developed a super power in the days after the scan!)

As explained above, once the patient is called through to the treatment room, they get changed into a gown and injected with the tracer.

They then have to sit silent and still for 1 hour to allow the tracer to do it's thing. Tony said this was super boring and a touch cold.

The scan itself takes around 40 mins. You simply lie down and let the machine work it's magic.

Once the scan is done you get dressed and go for a cup oif tea or coffee in the post scan area. This just gives the nurses some time to make sure the tracer hasn't caused and allergic reactions.

As quick as it all starts, it's done.

 While we waited for the MDT to receive the scan results and discuss them at their next meeting Tony also had appointments for a full heart check up (Echocardiogram, electrocardiogram ) and a full lung check up called a Spirometry test. These were done to check that he would be physically fit for surgery, if the cancer checks came back as surgery eligible too.