A PET/CT scan referral, especially if it is your first time, can bring a lot of questions and sometimes, a fair amount of anxiety. You may have questions about what to expect, what the injection involves, or how long the appointment will take.
At Positron Diagnostics, we believe that a well-informed patient is a more comfortable patient, and that clarity is part of the care we provide. We take that responsibility seriously not just in the precision of our imaging, but in how we look after the people who walk through our doors.
This guide walks you through your entire visit, from the day before your appointment right through to leaving our facility. No medical jargon, just a clear, honest picture of what happens and why.
The Day Before: Preparation Matters
The quality of your scan depends significantly on how you prepare. This is to ensure that the radioactive tracer will be taken up by the target structures (e.g. tumour tissue) and improve the quality and accuracy of the images.
•Follow a high-protein, low-carbohydrate, low-sugar diet for 24 hours before your scan. This means: lean meat, fish, eggs, cheese, and green vegetables are fine. Avoid bread, pasta, rice, fruit, sweets, and sugary drinks. The reason: carbohydrates raise blood glucose levels, which competes with the radioactive glucose tracer and reduces image quality.
•Fast for at least 6 hours before your appointment and drink only water (1 litre within 2 hours prior to the appointment is recommended).
•Avoid intense physical exercise for 24 hours before your scan. Muscle activity increases glucose uptake in muscles, which creates unwanted 'noise' in the image.
•Continue your regular medications as normal unless your referring physician or our nuclear medicine team, has specifically told you otherwise.
•If you are diabetic: contact us before your appointment. Your blood glucose must be within a safe range (between 70–200 mg/dL) for the scan to proceed. We will give you specific guidance.
•Avoid chewing gum and smoking (including e-cigarettes) on the day of your scan.
What to Bring
•Your doctor's referral letter
•Any previous scan images or reports (on CD or printed)
•A list of your current medications
•Your ID
On Arrival
On the day of arrival, wear comfortable, loose-fitting metal-free clothing, avoiding any jewelry. Your PET/CT appointment takes approximately 2 hours in total. Plan your day and arrange transport home accordingly.
Step 1 Check-in and registration — Arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. Our team will confirm your details, check your medical history, and answer any last-minute questions.
Step 2 Blood glucose check — We will measure your height, weight, and blood glucose level with a quick finger-prick test. If your blood glucose is above 200 mg/dL, or below 70 mg/dL the scan may need to be rescheduled.
Step 3 IV (intravenous) cannula placement — A nurse will place a small cannula (a thin plastic tube) in a vein in your arm. This is used to administer the radioactive tracer.
Step 4 Tracer injection — Your individually prepared dose of 18F-FDG (fluorodeoxyglucose) is administered through the cannula. You will feel nothing unusual. The tracer has no taste, no smell, and causes no side effects in the vast majority of patients.
The Uptake Period: 45 to 60 Minutes
After the injection, you will rest quietly in a private, comfortable room for 45–60 minutes. This is the most important phase of the process — the tracer is travelling through your bloodstream and concentrating in the tissues that consume the most glucose.
During this time:
•Stay as still and relaxed as possible. Do not walk around, use your phone extensively, or do anything that activates your muscles
•Avoid talking as much as you can. For head and neck scans in particular, this matters
•Keep warm as cold activates the radiotracer uptake to the muscles which can affect image quality
•You will not be left alone, our nursing team will check on you and is always available if you need anything
The PET/CT Scan:15 to 20 Minutes
When the uptake period is complete, you will be guided to the Discovery IQ Gen 2 PET/CT scanner. The scanner is open and well-lit, nothing like an MRI machine. Most patients find it comfortable.
During the scan:
•Remain as still as possible as movement creates blurring in the images
•Breathe normally and steadily
•Our team monitors you from the adjacent control room throughout the entire scan
After the PET/CT Scan
Once the scan is complete, the cannula is removed and you are free to leave and continue with normal activities. A few things to keep in mind for the rest of the day:
•Drink plenty of water as this helps your kidneys flush the tracer from your body through urine
•Eat and drink normally straight away
•Avoid public spaces and prolonged close contact with others (2 meters distance), especially with pregnant women and young children for 6-8 hours after administration
•By the following morning, the radioactive tracer will have decayed to negligible levels
Report Preparation
Our nuclear medical team reviews every image of the PET/CT examination against your clinical history and prior scans. Within 48 hours, a detailed report is produced. At Positron Diagnostics, accurate, timely reporting is as much a part of our care as the scan itself.
For more information about our services or whether a PET/CT test is right for you, please contact Positron Diagnostics.
Contact Phone: +357 22 053 555
Address: 215 Spyrou Kyprianou Avenue, 2047 Strovolos, Nicosia
At Positron Diagnostics, we believe that a well-informed patient is a more comfortable patient, and that clarity is part of the care we provide. We take that responsibility seriously not just in the precision of our imaging, but in how we look after the people who walk through our doors.
This guide walks you through your entire visit, from the day before your appointment right through to leaving our facility. No medical jargon, just a clear, honest picture of what happens and why.
The Day Before: Preparation Matters
The quality of your scan depends significantly on how you prepare. This is to ensure that the radioactive tracer will be taken up by the target structures (e.g. tumour tissue) and improve the quality and accuracy of the images.
•Follow a high-protein, low-carbohydrate, low-sugar diet for 24 hours before your scan. This means: lean meat, fish, eggs, cheese, and green vegetables are fine. Avoid bread, pasta, rice, fruit, sweets, and sugary drinks. The reason: carbohydrates raise blood glucose levels, which competes with the radioactive glucose tracer and reduces image quality.
•Fast for at least 6 hours before your appointment and drink only water (1 litre within 2 hours prior to the appointment is recommended).
•Avoid intense physical exercise for 24 hours before your scan. Muscle activity increases glucose uptake in muscles, which creates unwanted 'noise' in the image.
•Continue your regular medications as normal unless your referring physician or our nuclear medicine team, has specifically told you otherwise.
•If you are diabetic: contact us before your appointment. Your blood glucose must be within a safe range (between 70–200 mg/dL) for the scan to proceed. We will give you specific guidance.
•Avoid chewing gum and smoking (including e-cigarettes) on the day of your scan.
What to Bring
•Your doctor's referral letter
•Any previous scan images or reports (on CD or printed)
•A list of your current medications
•Your ID
On Arrival
On the day of arrival, wear comfortable, loose-fitting metal-free clothing, avoiding any jewelry. Your PET/CT appointment takes approximately 2 hours in total. Plan your day and arrange transport home accordingly.
Step 1 Check-in and registration — Arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. Our team will confirm your details, check your medical history, and answer any last-minute questions.
Step 2 Blood glucose check — We will measure your height, weight, and blood glucose level with a quick finger-prick test. If your blood glucose is above 200 mg/dL, or below 70 mg/dL the scan may need to be rescheduled.
Step 3 IV (intravenous) cannula placement — A nurse will place a small cannula (a thin plastic tube) in a vein in your arm. This is used to administer the radioactive tracer.
Step 4 Tracer injection — Your individually prepared dose of 18F-FDG (fluorodeoxyglucose) is administered through the cannula. You will feel nothing unusual. The tracer has no taste, no smell, and causes no side effects in the vast majority of patients.
The Uptake Period: 45 to 60 Minutes
After the injection, you will rest quietly in a private, comfortable room for 45–60 minutes. This is the most important phase of the process — the tracer is travelling through your bloodstream and concentrating in the tissues that consume the most glucose.
During this time:
•Stay as still and relaxed as possible. Do not walk around, use your phone extensively, or do anything that activates your muscles
•Avoid talking as much as you can. For head and neck scans in particular, this matters
•Keep warm as cold activates the radiotracer uptake to the muscles which can affect image quality
•You will not be left alone, our nursing team will check on you and is always available if you need anything
The PET/CT Scan:15 to 20 Minutes
When the uptake period is complete, you will be guided to the Discovery IQ Gen 2 PET/CT scanner. The scanner is open and well-lit, nothing like an MRI machine. Most patients find it comfortable.
During the scan:
•Remain as still as possible as movement creates blurring in the images
•Breathe normally and steadily
•Our team monitors you from the adjacent control room throughout the entire scan
After the PET/CT Scan
Once the scan is complete, the cannula is removed and you are free to leave and continue with normal activities. A few things to keep in mind for the rest of the day:
•Drink plenty of water as this helps your kidneys flush the tracer from your body through urine
•Eat and drink normally straight away
•Avoid public spaces and prolonged close contact with others (2 meters distance), especially with pregnant women and young children for 6-8 hours after administration
•By the following morning, the radioactive tracer will have decayed to negligible levels
Report Preparation
Our nuclear medical team reviews every image of the PET/CT examination against your clinical history and prior scans. Within 48 hours, a detailed report is produced. At Positron Diagnostics, accurate, timely reporting is as much a part of our care as the scan itself.
For more information about our services or whether a PET/CT test is right for you, please contact Positron Diagnostics.
Contact Phone: +357 22 053 555
Address: 215 Spyrou Kyprianou Avenue, 2047 Strovolos, Nicosia