Heavy PETing

Today I had my PET/CT scan – which means there’s only one more step to go until I’m ready to start chemo (getting my port surgically implanted on Thursday). A PET scan is a lot like an MRI scan, you lay on a table, stay still for a while while it moves you through a tube that takes images. What’s different about a PET scan is the prep work you have to do before you can go into the machine.

PET imaging relies on a specific radioactive substance that is injected in your veins before the procedure. The substance interacts with your metabolic system, and so in order for it to be most effective you need to have a relatively low blood sugar at the start of the exam. This means for the 24 hours leading up to the scan you’re not supposed to have sugar, caffeine or carbs (basically, my three main food groups), and you’re not supposed to do any heavy exercising (not a problem for me these days!). Then, for the 6 hours leading up to the scan, you’re not allowed to eat or drink anything except water. Which means by the time I arrived bright and early to the hospital this morning, I was hungry, tired and cranky (I was a real delight!).

PET scans are commonly done on cancer patients before starting treatment, since its the best way to determine if the cancer has spread (also, since its radioactive, having a PET scan increases your chances of cancer by a teeny bit, so most people don’t get one until they already know they have some cancer). The technology allows for 3D images which look pretty cool, and maybe I’ll get to see next week when I start chemo (I’ll get results over the phone tomorrow). I don’t normally source wikipedia pages, but the PET Scan Wiki has a cool GIF of what the scan images look like.

After arriving at the hospital, the nurse got an IV going (in my hand, because the bruising on my arms scared her away – another reason getting a port is a good idea) and led me to the super special radioactive area. Seriously, I had my very own radioactive waiting room all to myself.

Once settled in the recliner in my special waiting room, the nurse came back with a tiny tool box – it looked like a mix between a cold war relic and something that Doc and Dopey would take into the gemstone mine with them while singing “its off to work we go!” The Nurse opened the toolbox, and retrieved a syringe surrounded by a metal jacket – this was the famous radioactive fluid! The nurse injected the fluid into my IV, and then I had to wait for an hour while the fluid made its way into my entire body. Once the wait time was done, the nurse removed the IV and walked me across the hall to the PET scanner – but only after I went pee – an empty bladder makes for better PET images apparently. After a brief overview of the process, and strapping my onto the table (they literally strapped my arms down so they wouldn’t move!), I got to take a 30 minute nap while the machine worked its magic, and ta-da the PET scan was complete

Unfortunately, I was still radioactive for the next 8 hours, so I was given the directive to avoid infants and pregnant women for the rest of the day (which means I didn’t go back in to work after the scan – Target HQ is teeming with pregnant people)

Fortunately, since the scan was over I could drink coffee and eat breakfast so I immediately walked one building over to the hospital Starbucks for an iced coffee and a pastry, ahhhhh!