| ROSETTA RADIOLOGY is the first center to offer Time-Of-Flight technology which helps pinpoint the origin of a tumor or disease. Time-of Flight is a new technology that measures the actual time difference between the detection of two coincident gamma rays. This time difference is then used to localize, more accurately, the origin of the annihilation. It Raises effective image sensitivity by more than twice that of conventional PET, and Image acquisition is shortened to less than fifteen minutes for a whole-body PET scan. |
| Additionally our PET/CT employs an OpenView Gantry Design which improves our patient experience, especially for claustrophobic patients. |
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| How a PET/CT works: |
While a CT scan provides anatomical detail (size and location of the tumor, mass, etc.), a PET scan provides metabolic detail (cellular activity of the tumor, mass, etc.). Combined PET/CT is more accurate than PET and CT alone!
Anatomical: CT scanners send x-rays through the body, which are then measured by detectors in the CT scanner. A computer algorithm then processes those measurements to produce pictures of the body's internal structures.
Metabolic: PET images begin with an injection of FDG, an analog of glucose that is tagged to the radionuclide F18. Metabolically active organs or tumors consume sugar at high rates, and as the tagged sugar starts to decay, it emits positrons. These positrons then collide with electrons, giving off gamma rays, and a computer converts the gamma rays into images. These images indicate metabolic "hot spots," often indicating rapidly growing tumors (because cancerous cells generally consume more sugar/energy than other organs or tumors).
The entire examination usually takes less than 30 minutes, providing comprehensive diagnostic information to your health care team very quickly. The PET/CT system provides exceptional image quality and accuracy of diagnostic information. |
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| How should I prepare for the PET/CT scan? |
| » Avoid strenuous activities on the day before and day of your PET/CT exam. Excessive muscular activity may interfere with the interpretation of your exam. |
| » Take no food or drink for 6 hours before your procedure, with the exception of water you may need to take medications. Please refrain from chewing gum as it may interfere with the results. |
| » Wear comfortable clothes, free of metal zippers, snaps, etc. |
| » If you are a diabetic, please bring your medication. Make sure our staff is aware of your condition ahead of time. If you take insulin to control your diabetes, you will be scheduled for an early morning appointment, due to the fact that you must not take your insulin the morning of your exam. |
| » Remove all jewelry, hair pins and clips prior to your exam. |
| » Plan to arrive a little early. |
| » You will be asked to Change in the private reserved area. |
» You will have an angiocath placed into a vein in your arm for ease of injection.
You will receive an injection with a small amount of a radiopharmaceutical through this IV line. |
| » You will wait quietly in a private room for 45 minutes. It is important that you relax and restduring this time to allow the radiopharmaceutical to properly distribute throughout your body. |
| » We will Proceed with scan, which will take 15 to 30 minutes. |
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