Cardiac PET/CT Scan

CARDIAC PET/CT SCAN

Cardiac Positron Emission Tomography (PET)
 exams help to evaluate heart health by
 measuring the blood flow brought by the
coronary arteries to the heart muscle. A small
amount of radiopharmaceutical will be given
through an IV line. This lets the PET scanner
capture pictures of your heart.

Preparing for the test:

• No caffeine for 24 hours prior to the test such as coffee, tea, soft drinks and chocolate. Do not consume decaffeinated/caffeine free beverages as they contain some residual caffeine.
• Nothing to eat 6 hours prior to your test. Nothing to drink 4 hours prior to your test.
• Medications can be taken with a sip of water.
• If you have diabetes and take insulin, check with you your doctor.
• Do not take Excedrin or over-the-counter meds, which contain caffeine or decongestants.
• Avoid tobacco use for 12 hours before the PET scan
• If you take herbal supplements or stimulants, stop taking them for 72 hours before the PET scan. These include Methylphenidate, Adderall, Vyvanse and Dextroamphetamine,
• Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing.
• Do not wear jewelry or any metal objects

During the test:

• The test takes approximately 1 hour
• You’ll lie on a flat table that’s connected to the PET scanner, (shaped like a giant doughnut)                             to take images of the heart. Two sets of images are taken.

Rest Images:

• The technician will hook on you ECG electrodes to keep track of your heartbeat during                                  the test and signal the computer when to take a scan.
• Radioactive tracer will be injected into an IV in your arm and images of the heart                                            will be acquired.

Stress Images:

• The stress medicine is lexiscan or adenosine. Side effects include headache, dizziness,                               and chest pain, shortness of breath or nausea /abdominal discomfort which are mild                                      and are usually gone in less than 5 minutes.
• After the stress, we will inject a second dose of the tracer into your bloodstream through                                the IV, another set of pictures of the blood flow to your heart is obtained.

* The amount of radiation you will receive is relatively low. None of these low dose levels are                         associated with increased levels of cancer or other adverse effects.

* Cardiac PET is generally safe as the amount of radiation is small, and your body will get rid                                          of it through your kidneys within about 24 hours. If you’re pregnant or think you might be                                  pregnant, or if you’re a nursing mother, please let us know beforehand as the test could                                         harm your baby.

After the scan:

• You can usually go back to your normal activities right away
• Make an appointment with your doctor to discuss the results of the test and next steps