GUILDFORD DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING

There is a small amount of radiation involved in the procedure, similar to other diagnostic scan procedures such as CT. The risk associated with this is very small and it's considered that the risk of missing a serious problem if you don't have a PET/CT scan is much higher. This imaging technique has been used safely since 1973, with many thousands of examinations being performed on patients around the world each day. The radioactive component of the PET/CT scan is called Fluorine–18. Fluorine is attached to glucose in the injection given to the patient. Radioactivity is often described in terms of its half-life. Half-life is defined as the time taken for radioactivity to fall to half its initial level.

Fluorine has a half life of 110 minutes. This means that the level of radioactivity remaining in the body halves every 110 minutes. Therefore, it's safe to say that within 8 hours there will be an insignificant amount of radioactivity in the body. Patients who are pregnant will not receive a PET/CT scan so in this instance, a further consultation with the clinician should be arranged. A small team of technologists and clinical assistants will look after you during your visit and one of the technologists will carry out the scan. Do I need an injection? Yes, in order for us to obtain images, we'll give you an injection of a tracer into a vein – usually your arm.

This feels similar to a blood test. MRI means ‘magnetic resonance imaging’. It's a powerful diagnostic tool using a strong magnetic field to produce high-quality, soft tissue contrast images in multiple planes. Images are generated using a superconducting magnet and pulsed radio waves. MRI has become the preferred investigation choice and is applicable for use in all areas of the body. In particular, its use for imaging neurological and musculoskeletal structures has a central use in primary care.