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What is a Cardiac PET Scan?
Why do people have Cardiac PET Scans?
Reasons you don't have to be nervous before your Cardiac PET Scan.
If your doctor has decided to send you for a Cardiac PET Scan you may be feeling a little confused and worried. You might be concerned about radiation, claustrophobia or you might just not know what a PET Scan is. Let us ease your worries and help you get a better understanding of a Cardiac PET Scan. A PET Scan of the heart is a noninvasive nuclear imaging test. It uses radioactive tracers to produce pictures of your heart. Doctors use Cardiac PET Scans to diagnose coronary artery disease and heart damage due to a prior heart attack. PET scans are also used to help find out if you would be a good candidate for a percutaneous coronary intervention, also known as angioplasty or stenting, or coronary artery bypass surgery, or possibly another procedure.
A Cardiac PET Scan is safe for most people. The amount of radiation is small, and your body rids itself of the radio-tracer through your liver in less than 10 minutes.
Regarding claustrophobia, a Cardiac PET Scan does not require your head or legs to be inside the machine. It is extremely tolerable for any patient that struggles with claustrophobia. Most Cardiac PET scans do not exceed 40 minutes in duration.
A Cardiac PET Scan is a valuable test that will assist your doctor. Our staff Cardiac PET Partners will make sure to give you the best care.