Instructions for Patients

• Do not eat or drink anything more than water for 4-6 hours before your exam because it could interfere with the results; don’t even chew gum.
• If you are diabetic, let us know ahead of time so we can work with your physician to determine the safest possible way for you to prepare for your exam.
• If you take medications, drink only enough plain water to swallow them.
• If you’ve been advised not to take your medications on an empty stomach, eat nothing more than a few soda crackers within the 4-6 hours of your exam.
• In addition, please let us know if you might be pregnant or are currently breast-feeding.

PET/CT Scan for Oncology

• Patient reports to AMI 30 minutes prior to appointment time.
• Patient must bring prescription.
• For patients having a PET/CT with contrast, please pick up 1 bottle of Readi-CAT prior to your appointment.  Patient should drink half of the bottle the night before at bedtime.  If you are having a standard PET/CT exam, Readi-CAT is not required.  Please contact our office if you have any questions.
• Patient should drink 8-10 glasses of water the day before the scan.
• No oral food or drink four (4) hours prior to appointment time.
• No caffeine for 12 hours prior to appointment time.
• No strenuous activity the morning of the scan.
• Take all medications except diuretics.
• Patient should wear clothing with no metal or snaps.
• Patient must not bring children or pregnant women with them to appointment.
• If patient requires medication for claustrophobia, they must obtain it from their physician and bring it with them.  (Patient must make arrangements to have a driver).

Diabetic Patients - try to schedule for an early morning appointment.

• If taking oral medication for diabetes, it is okay to take the medication as prescribed.
• If patient requires insulin injections, they can only inject half of their normal dose and it must be injected at least two hours before their appointment time.
• Patient not NPO.
• Patient’s blood glucose level is above 200 mg/dl.

PET/CT Scan for Brain - patient does not need the Readi-CAT prep.

• Patient reports to AMI 30 minutes prior to appointment time.
• Patient must bring prescription.
• Patient should drink 8-10 glasses of water the day before the scan.
• No oral food or drink four (4) hours prior to appointment time.
• No caffeine for 12 hours prior to appointment time.
• No strenuous activity the morning of the scan.
• Take all medications except diuretics.
• Patient should remove all jewelry above the neck.
• Patient must not bring children or pregnant women with them to appointment.
• If patient requires medication for claustrophobia, they must
  obtain it from their physician and bring it with them.  (Patient must
  make arrangements to have a driver).

Diabetic Patients - try to schedule for an early morning appointment.

• If taking oral medication for diabetes, it is okay to take the medication as prescribed.
• If patient requires insulin injections, they can only inject half
  of their normal dose and it must be injected at least two hours before
  their appointment time.
• Patient not NPO.
• Patient’s blood glucose level is above 200 mg/dl.
• Patient should not take any sedatives or tranquilizers.