Atlantic Health works diligently to provide you with the extraordinary care you need. These instructions will help you prepare for your upcoming PET/CT exam. Please be sure to read and follow these mandatory preparation instructions carefully to ensure you are eligible for the exam upon arrival. Dietary guidelines must be followed.
If you have questions or need to cancel your appointment, please call the Nuclear Medicine department as soon as possible. The imaging material is ordered specifically for you several days prior and will need to be canceled.
Please arrive at the hospital 30 minutes before your appointment time.
What to bring:
- Your insurance card(s) and photo identification
- Your prescription
- Current list of all medications (name, dosage, and frequency). Please include over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
- Copies of recent prior PET, CT, MRI, or Nuclear Medicine bone scan studies sent to AHS via PowerShare or brought on a disc including both images and written reports if completed outside AHS
General instructions:
- Wear comfortable, loose-fitting clothing with no metal snaps, buttons, zippers, sequins, belt buckles, or underwire bras. Do not wear any jewelry and leave valuables at home.
- If you are claustrophobic, obtain calming medication from your doctor before your appointment. We cannot provide these medications. Please arrange transportation if you intend to take this type of medication as you will not be permitted to drive yourself home.
- If you need a copy of your scan sent to your provider via PowerShare or need a disc copy made, please advise the technologist upon arrival.
Mandatory preparation instructions:
What to eat and drink the night before and the morning of your exam:
- The night before your scan (at your regular dinnertime) eat a high-fat, high-protein, no-carbohydrate meal, as outlined below.
- Follow the mandatory dietary guidelines during the 12 hours before your exam.
- Do not consume any food containing carbohydrates or sugar. Please read package labels.
- You must eat a high-protein, high-fat, NO carbohydrate breakfast 4 hours before your appointment time. Do NOT eat anything after this meal until after the exam.
- Only drink water or unsweetened seltzer water.
- Refrain from all strenuous activity within the 24 hours before the exam.
- Vegan patients must fast for a minimum of 12 hours before their appointment time.
Diabetes and Sugar Lowering Medication:
- Please take your medication and/or insulin no later than 6 hours before the exam.
- If you have an insulin pump, please shut the pump off 4-6 hours before the appointment time
Mandatory dietary guidelines:
You MAY eat the following:
- Protein: Chicken, turkey, beef, veal, lamb, pork, fish, eggs, and bacon. Avoid processed meats such as hot dogs.
- You may prepare your meal sauteed in butter, olive oil, or broiled.
- Seasonings: Salt and pepper, vinegar, yellow mustard, hot sauce, chives, basil, etc. are permitted *Check the label for carb content
- Beverages: water, unsweetened seltzer water
Do NOT consume:
- Anything containing carbohydrates or sugar
- Any fruits or vegetables, including fruit juices and preserves, potatoes, rice
- Dairy: milk, cheese, yogurt
- Bread and baked goods: bagels, toast, rolls, muffins, cookies, cake
- Sweets: candy, chewing gum, mints, cough drops, sucking candies
- Other: Ketchup, peanut butter, most salad dressings
- Beverages: Coffee, alcohol, anything sweetened with sugar or artificial sweeteners, fruit juices, soda
What to expect:
- You will be with us for about 2 hours
- You will receive an intravenous injection of a radioactive agent which targets diseases of the heart. The level of radioactivity is extremely low and has no side effects.
- After the injection, you will be asked to wait between 45-60 minutes to allow the tracer to move throughout your body.
- The scan will then take about 40 minutes. During that time, you will lie flat on your back without moving while the scanner takes pictures of your body.
- Your scan will be reviewed by a board-certified fellowship-trained cardiologist within 24-48 hours and the results sent to your physician and available on MyChart. Your physician will then discuss your results with you.
Where to register:
Medical Center, 100 Madison Ave, Level D, Morristown, NJ 07960
973-971-5559
Enter through the Goryeb Children’s Center Entrance on Franklin St, then follow the signs for Radiology. Goryeb Children’s Center is to the left of the Emergency Department. (From Monday-Friday 6 pm-6 am, enter through the main hospital entrance and go to Radiology on Kahn Level D.)