PET Scan Cost in Mohali

PET Scan is performed to understand the factors at the cellular level that are contributing to a disease or abnormal condition. What a single PET scan can achieve would otherwise be known through several tests and, if required, a surgery. In most cases, PET scans are prescribed to detect and monitor cancer which has been disseminated to various body parts. Causes of heart disease, epilepsy, cancer, etc. are found using PET scans. PET scan is also used extensively in medical research.

FDG Pet scans rely on the activity of the radioactive sugar that enters the body. To maintain correct levels at the time of the scan, natural sugar content in the blood needs to be controlled by fasting for six hours before the scheduled scan time. This lowers the natural sugar levels and the radioactive sugar when injected can work without hindrance. Diabetic patients need to pay extra attention in this regard and must notify their PET centre if they have a blood sugar level of more than ten millimoles per litre.

The patient needs to drink a minimum of 500ml of plain water without any mix in the time duration before the PET scan appointment. Preparation differs from case to case beyond these two measures. A personalized instruction sheet is drafted to meet the preparation requirements for each patient and is determined by the area being scanned.

PET scan utilizes a radioactive sugar chemical that is injected in your body. The cancerous tumour cells take up this radioactive element easily. You are required to rest for an hour or more while the chemical circulates through different parts of your body. The sugar is also absorbed by active muscle cells.

Therefore, lying down and avoiding any movement will avoid muscle cells taking up the radioactive elements. Thus, the chemicals will be able to reach other tumour cells. After an hour’s rest, you will be transferred to a radiochemistry lab room wherein pictures are taken of the target body part. The time duration of picture taking phase is roughly around fifteen to thirty minutes.

PET scan takes around two to three hours in totality. If the patient wants to rest for a certain amount of time after the procedure, or the chemical uptake in the body is slow, then this time approximation changes. The patient is allowed to leave the PET centre immediately unless he is feeling tired after fasting so long. The patient must drink loads of water throughout the day to flush out the radioactive chemical from within the body. Other fluids can also be taken.

There are no possible risks of PET Scan since the radiation dose used is minimal and usually exits the body by the end of the day. No isolation is required in the procedure and other than weakness due to fasting; the patient does not experience any abnormality. In case the patient is breast feeding or pregnant, the technologist must be notified beforehand.