Just got back from the first PET/CT scan. This scan is meant to figure out how much the lymphoma is spread through out the body, if it has. The CT piece is a structural scan to see the lumps and stuff. However, that can be hard to see visually. So, the PET piece scans for the characteristics of different cells in the body. It does this by looking at tagged glucose, which is absorbed by cells to function, but because cancer cells divide more rapidly, they absorb more of the tagged glucose. So, the PET scan looks for places where the tagged glucose has been accumulated more.
The procedure was simple, but just took a while. After signing in, I was given a barium drink, that tasted like chalk. I guess after not eating or drinking for a while, I didn't mind it at all. They put an IV line into my left arm and did a brief glucose test using one of those testing tools that diabetics use. In the mobile PET/CT truck, I was seated in a reclining chair. They injected me with radioactive glucose through the IV line, followed by saline to flush out the IV, which was then taken out. Of course, I had to sit around waiting for this to happen for about forty minutes. I didn't have a book or anything to keep me occupied. Finally, after waiting around and being bored, I went to the bathroom to flush out any residual chemicals that were in the bladder.
Now, the fun part. I sat on the bed for 20 minutes while the bed moved back and forth under the scanner. It was pretty hard to sit still for so long. It did seem like an eternity.
The results were supposed to be done an hour after the test, and the doctor will be getting them by tomorrow.
The procedure was simple, but just took a while. After signing in, I was given a barium drink, that tasted like chalk. I guess after not eating or drinking for a while, I didn't mind it at all. They put an IV line into my left arm and did a brief glucose test using one of those testing tools that diabetics use. In the mobile PET/CT truck, I was seated in a reclining chair. They injected me with radioactive glucose through the IV line, followed by saline to flush out the IV, which was then taken out. Of course, I had to sit around waiting for this to happen for about forty minutes. I didn't have a book or anything to keep me occupied. Finally, after waiting around and being bored, I went to the bathroom to flush out any residual chemicals that were in the bladder.
Now, the fun part. I sat on the bed for 20 minutes while the bed moved back and forth under the scanner. It was pretty hard to sit still for so long. It did seem like an eternity.
The results were supposed to be done an hour after the test, and the doctor will be getting them by tomorrow.
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