In preparation for your PET scan, you need to follow carefully the next steps:
- 48 hours prior to your PET scan: avoid overtraining and exercise.
- 24 hours prior to your PET scan: no sweets, caffeine, alcohol and tobacco; stay on a low carbohydrate diet. DO NOT eat or drink: cereal, pasta, potatoes, rice, bread, milk, ice cream, fruit, liquors, and also diet soda, red wine, black tea, sugar-free chewing gum and mints. You can eat meat, butter, hard cheese, eggs, tofu and vegetables with no starch.
- 6 hours prior to your PET scan: avoid eating and drinking altogether (except for water) as it affects the quality of the images.
Notify your doctor if you:
- have another medical condition, such as a heart disease or diabetes (do not take your insulin before the PET scan),
- are taking any medications or supplements,
- are pregnant or think you might be pregnant,
- are breastfeeding,
- have allergies,
- are afraid of enclosed spaces (claustrophobic).
Bring copies of any recent CT scans or MRI for review.
Leave any metallic objects at home – including jewelry, hairpins – as they may affect the PET images.
Wear loose, comfortable clothing.
We wanted a resource where people who are looking for better help can find it, because one of the issues that I have found is that the diagnosis takes a little bit, some people don’t know if they are diagnosed or not. This is something that it is important enough, that is why I wanted to put the information together.
