How do you prepare for a PET scan of the lungs?

Preparation for the Procedure

1. You will be asked to follow the Limited Carbohydrate diet for the previous 24 hours before the date of your appointment.
2. Do not eat or drink anything, except water, for 6 hours before the exam.
3. Routine medications may be taken, unless you have been instructed otherwise.

How accurate is a PET scan for lung cancer?

FDG-PET was reported to be 90% to 94% accurate in the characterization of malignant or benign lung nodules, with a sensitivity of 94% to 96% and specificity of 78% to 86%.

Can a lung infection show up on a PET scan?

Since activated inflammatory cells, like malignant cells, predominantly metabolise glucose as a source of energy and increase expression of glucose transporters when activated, FDG-PET/CT can be successfully used to detect and monitor a variety of lung diseases, such as infections and several inflammatory conditions.

What does a PET scan show about lung cancer?

A PET scan goes beyond anatomy to show what is happening at a cellular level in the tissues of the lung. Combining PET/CT technology enables our doctors to know where the healthy lung tissue ends and the tumor begins. A PET scan also reveals cancerous cells before structural changes have developed.

What is the typical PET scan procedure?

PET Scan Procedure. At the beginning of the PET scan procedure, you will sit in a chair and receive an injection of a small amount of radioactive material called FDG in a vein in your arm. This will not make you feel differently at all. You will be asked to sit quietly for a period of time, usually about 30-60 minutes .

What does this PET scan of lungs indicate?

A lung positron emission tomography ( PET) scan is an imaging test. It uses a radioactive substance (called a tracer) to look for disease in the lungs such as lung cancer . Unlike magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI) and computed tomography ( CT) scans, which reveal the structure of the lungs, a PET scan shows how well the lungs and their tissues are working.

Can a PET scan detect lung cancer?

A lung PET scan is also used to stage lung cancer. Tissues with a higher metabolic rate (higher energy usage), such as lung cancer tumors, absorb more of the tracer substance than other tissues. These areas stand out on the PET scan. Your doctor can use the three-dimensional images to detect growing cancer tumors.