The PET scan

On the 29th.October I had a PET scan, the first of the preliminary investigations. This was at QA Portsmouth since Chichester did not have this type of scanner. This involved the injection of a radioactive tracer with a very short half half but nevertheless I was technically 'radioactive' for the next 24 hours, with instructions to avoid close conact with children. The cancer apparently shows up as red dots so is quite a sensitive test for the whole of the stomach area. The radioactive tracer is made up in London and has to be delivered to QA on a daily basis but was late which meant quite a bit of hanging about plus a further hour or so to let it circulate, all adding to the prior 6 hour no food requirement. The nurse fitting the canula had 3 attempt, left elbow, left hand and finally the right elbow. Bit of residual bruising after the failed attempts. The scan itself took 20 minutes or so which I had to lie still. It was not claustrophobic at all.