What is being injected for the scan and why?
For PET scans, a very small amount of a radiopharmaceutical is infused into the bloodstream. The substance contains molecules that provide imaging information when absorbed, or concentrated in tissue. Areas with rapid cell activity will show much higher concentrations of the dose than normal healthy tissue. A computer records this information and converts it into pictures for diagnostic purposes. For a PET/CT scan, you may also receive a contrast agent by mouth or intravenous (IV) injection. The amount of radiation you will receive is about the same as any other radiology procedure, such as an X-ray. You should not feel any side effects from the material.
