Patient Optimization in PET

Technologist Responsibilities:

Check glucose level. If below 70 or above 200, discuss level with physician

Record the injected activity, the time of assay, and the patient body mass.

Maintain PET scanner calibrations

Provide patient instructions during the uptake period and scan.

Review number of patients for the day; indications, history, CT, MRI results in order to scan appropriate regions of interest

Retrieve old scan for comparison and physician reading. Use the old scan to replicate set up of current study to last study

Record history of recent trauma, last chemotherapy, last RT treatment, recent surgery, recent infection, and use of daily injections

Dose Injection Sheet:

Activity in Syringe (mCi) ____________________________

Time of Assay (PET Clock) __________________________

Time of Injection (PET Clock) ________________________

Residual Activity in syringe (mCi) ____________________

Net Activity Administered to patient (mCi) _____________

Patient’s weight from scale on scan day _______________

Blood Glucose @ time of injection ____________________

Scan Start Time (PET Clock) _________________________

Total Uptake Time in Min. (inj-Start time) _____________

Safe Injection Technique:

After dose calibration, the syringe containing the FDG dose should be placed in a lead or tungsten syringe shield and then injected immediately.

Using a long handled tongs to transfer the syringe to the dose calibrator and then to the injection shield can significantly decrease technologist exposure.

Intravenous injections should be performed through a short, shielded IV.

Patient must be injected and scanned at scheduled time to minimize radioactive decay due to short half-life of PET isotopes

Consider urinary bladder catheterization when imaging includes pelvis with certain types of cancer

Keep patient well hydrated and have patient void immediately prior to imaging