Donate SIGN UP

P.E.T. scans nuclear medicine

Avatar Image
SSSharon | 23:39 Sat 28th Jun 2008 | Body & Soul
2 Answers
Just wondering what effects a pet scan has on the person who accompanies someone going for a PET scan are the radio active levels dangerous and if so how do they effect people around the patient ???
Gravatar

Answers

1 to 2 of 2rss feed

Best Answer

No best answer has yet been selected by SSSharon. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.

For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.
The radioactivity levels are an issue, but this doesn't mean that it is automatically a concern.

Firstly, a PET scan wouldn't be performed unless it was thought by experts it was needed compared with the risks of NOT receiving a scan (not far off the same sort of risk/benefit ratio you might have with taking a prescription medicine, a practice which is unquestioned).

Secondly, the levels of radiation received, while significant, are inconsequential if you consider they are much the same as those received annually by a regular flightcrew on a transatlantic service.

To answer your question, while the levels of radiation are NOT dangerous in the usual sense, due to the intense but short-term nature it is normally recommended that patients receiving such treatment are isolated for several hours.
I had one a couple of weeks ago and was told not to have any contact with babies or children for 24 hours.

1 to 2 of 2rss feed

Do you know the answer?

P.E.T. scans nuclear medicine

Answer Question >>

Related Questions