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A PET scan stands for positron emission tomography, according to MedicalNewsToday. It's a piece of equipment used to show activity and functioning in the body at a cellular level using radiation. Here are facts to consider when you're wondering what does having a PET scan really mean.

What PET Scans Do

PET scans are used to show a number of things inside the body, including:

  • Blood flow
  • Oxygen use
  • Sugar use
  • Locating cancer
  • Seeing if cancer has spread
  • Determining if cancer treatment is working
  • Looking closely at heart muscles and clogged arteries
  • Determining the results of a heart attack
  • Checking for brain issues, such as stroke, tumors, seizures, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease

The beauty of a PET scan machine is that it can show what's actually happening within your cells. This is especially critical when you're having a PET scan for lung cancer or other cancers. That's important because your physician can catch some diseases earlier than if you simply had another type of scan, says WebMD.

Different imaging techniques yield different types of results. For example, an X-ray is the basic way to find out quick information about a problem. There are two other scans, a CT and MRI scan.

A CT (or CAT) scan stands for computerized tomography. An MRI scan stands for magnetic resonance imaging. Both scans show the size and shape of body organs and tissues. However, these scans cannot show how these organs and tissues are functioning.

A doctor may order a hybrid scan to see the entire way your body is functioning, according to MedicalNewsToday. A PET scan shows the inner workings of an organ, but without a CT or MRI, it's tough to locate the activity that's happening inside your body.

How a PET Scan Works

PET scans are painless and often done as an outpatient procedure, according to MedicalNewsToday. If you're not covered by health insurance, a PET scan costs on average between $5,000 to $7,000, according to Health.CostHelper.com.

A tiny bit of radiotracer will be injected into a vein. Sometimes tracers are given by mouth or injected right into an organ. Once the radiotracer reaches the targeted area of the body, the machine will start taking images. During this time, you'll be asked to stay as still as possible, but you'll be laying down on a cushioned exam table while surrounded by the machine.

Preparing for a PET Scan

The best thing you can do before a PET scan is hydrate yourself with lots of water so you can flush out the radioactive drugs from your system quickly, says MedicalNewsToday. The radiotracers should be fully out of your body about four hours after the exam.

Risks of a PET Scan

There are risks of having a PET scan. A pregnant woman should avoid having a PET scan because radioactive material may affect the fetus, says MedicalNewsToday. Similarly, a woman who's breastfeeding should also avoid a PET scan because the radioactive material will affect an infant through breast milk. There are rare instances when someone will have an allergic reaction to the radioactive tracer.

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