A medical prescription is essential in order to carry out the tests. As these are Nuclear Medicine procedures, the scans involve administering a very low-dose radioactive drug, which is eliminated over the following hours via the urinary or digestive tract. Before any scan, the procedure will be explained to you and you will be given a specific information sheet. If you are a woman and are pregnant, suspect you may be, or are breastfeeding, please inform the healthcare staff before the scan. Patients who are minors or who require special care must always be accompanied.
Available procedures
- PET-01 Oncological PET with ¹⁸F-FDG
- PET-02 PET-CT with ¹⁸F-choline
- PET-03 PET-CT with PSMA
- PET-04 PET-CT with ¹⁸F-DOPA
- PET-05 PET-CT with ⁶⁸Ga-DOTATOC
- PET-06 Cardiac PET-CT with ¹⁸F-FDG
- PET-07 Neurological PET-CT with ¹⁸F-FDG
- PET-08 PET-CT for the detection of amyloid plaque
- PET-09 PET-CT with ¹⁸F-FDG for the detection of inflammatory and infectious processes
- PET-10 PET-CT with ¹⁸F-sodium fluoride (¹⁸F-NaF)
- PET-11 PET-CT for the paediatric assessment of neuroblastomas and other neuroendocrine tumours with ¹⁸F-DOPA
- PET-12 PET-CT for the diagnosis of vasculitis
- PET-13 PET-CT with ¹⁸F-FDG for the detection of inflammatory and infectious processes in the cardiac area
PET-01
Oncological PET with ¹⁸F-FDG
Description: Assessment of disease in oncology patients.
Preparation
- A minimum fast of 6 hours before the test.
- In general, patients are advised to have a light meal the night before the study and not to eat anything else until it has been completed.
- On the day of the test, the patient should drink plenty of water (0.5–1 L). Juices, sugary drinks, sweets, etc. are not permitted.
- Likewise, any intravenous glucose solutions must be discontinued at least 6 hours before the scheduled time.
- There is no need to hold in urine.
- The patient may take their usual medication.
- Physical exercise should be avoided for 2–3 days before the scan, as it could cause high muscle uptake of the tracer.
- Type II diabetic/hyperglycaemic patients on oral antidiabetic drugs should take their usual medication first thing in the morning and preferably remain fasting from the night before the test.
- Type I diabetic patients or others on subcutaneous/intravenous insulin should take their usual medication first thing in the morning. To avoid possible hypoglycaemia, they may have something light, observing a minimum fast of 4 hours before the test.
Indications
- Characterisation of a solitary pulmonary nodule.
- Detection of a confirmed tumour of unknown origin.
- Characterisation of a pancreatic mass.
- Staging of: malignant melanoma, locally advanced breast cancer, head and neck tumours, primary lung cancer, oesophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer and malignant lymphoma.
- Monitoring of treatment response in malignant lymphoma and head and neck tumours.
- Detection of recurrence of: high-grade gliomas, head and neck tumours, differentiated thyroid cancer (elevated Tg and negative whole-body iodine scan), primary lung carcinoma, breast carcinoma, pancreatic carcinoma, colorectal carcinoma, ovarian cancer, malignant lymphoma, malignant melanoma and other carcinomas.
Test duration
2 to 3 hours.
PET-02
PET-CT with ¹⁸F-choline
Description: Functional and anatomical assessment of patients with prostate cancer by studying cell membrane synthesis.
Preparation
- A minimum fast of 2 hours is required.
Indications
- Staging and follow-up of prostate cancer.
Test duration
3 to 4 hours.
PET-03
PET-CT with PSMA
Description: Whole-body functional and anatomical assessment of patients with prostate cancer by studying cell membrane synthesis.
Preparation
- A minimum fast of 2 hours is required.
Indications
- Staging and follow-up of prostate cancer.
Test duration
3–4 hours.
PET-04
PET-CT with ¹⁸F-DOPA
Description: This test makes it possible to diagnose brain metastases, diseases that degrade the presynaptic dopaminergic system and catecholamine-producing tumours.
Preparation
- A fast of at least 4–6 hours before the injection is required.
Indications
- Diagnosis of brain metastases.
- Differential diagnosis between recurrence and radionecrosis.
- Paediatric diagnosis of congenital hyperinsulinism.
- Diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumours, phaeochromocytomas, neuroblastomas, paragangliomas and brain tumours.
- Assessment of Parkinson's disease.
Test duration
3 to 4 hours.
PET-05
PET-CT with ⁶⁸Ga-DOTATOC
Description: Study of somatostatin receptor overexpression.
Preparation
- A fast of at least 2 hours before the injection is required.
Indications
- Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours.
- Study of primary lesions, lymph node involvement and metastatic spread.
- Staging.
Test duration
2 to 3 hours.
PET-06
Cardiac PET-CT with ¹⁸F-FDG
Description: Study of cardiac glucose metabolism, complementing myocardial perfusion studies.
Preparation
- Six-hour fast.
- Avoid strenuous physical exercise for 24 hours before the study.
- Insulin clamp or oral glucose load.
Indications
- Assessment of myocardial viability.
Test duration
2 to 3 hours.
PET-07
Neurological PET-CT with ¹⁸F-FDG
Description: Study of brain glucose metabolism.
Preparation
- 4–6 hour fast.
- Take your usual medication.
- Psychotropic drugs may be withdrawn.
- Diabetic patients may take their usual medication.
- If required, sedation will be given 20 minutes after administration of the radiopharmaceutical, preferably before acquisition, in accordance with the anaesthesia procedure.
Indications
- Early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of dementias.
- Study of movement disorders, for the characterisation of atypical parkinsonisms.
- Localisation of the epileptogenic focus in the interictal phase in epilepsy.
- Assessment of certain psychiatric disorders (schizophrenia, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder).
- Assessment of head injuries and cerebrovascular conditions.
Test duration
2 to 3 hours.
PET-08
PET-CT for the detection of amyloid plaque
Description: Assessment of the presence of cerebral β-amyloid.
Preparation
- A fast of at least 2 hours before the injection is required.
Indications
- Early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of dementias, by determining the presence or absence of β-amyloid.
Test duration
2 to 3 hours.
PET-09
PET-CT with ¹⁸F-FDG for the detection of inflammatory and infectious processes
Description: Detection of areas with inflammatory or infectious phenomena in non-soft tissues.
Preparation
- 6-hour fast.
- Good hydration.
Indications
- Sarcoidosis.
- Peripheral osteomyelitis (excluding post-operative cases and diabetic foot).
- Suspected prosthetic infection.
- Suspected spinal infection (vertebral osteomyelitis, spondylodiscitis or discitis, excluding post-operative cases).
- Assessment of classic fever of unknown origin.
- Assessment of metastatic infection and bacteraemia.
- Initial assessment of vasculitis.
- Assessment of polycystic disease.
- Suspected infection of intravascular devices, pacemakers and catheters.
- Detection of opportunistic infections in patients with HIV, associated tumours or Castleman disease.
Test duration
2 to 3 hours.
PET-10
PET-CT with ¹⁸F-sodium fluoride (¹⁸F-NaF)
Description: Study of bone metabolism.
Preparation
- A fast of at least 2 hours before the injection is required.
Indications
- Study of primary bone tumours.
- Study of bone viability.
- Study of bone necrosis.
- Study of other benign bone conditions.
- Bone staging of prostate and breast cancer.
- Other neoplasms with osteoblastic bone metastases.
Test duration
3 to 4 hours.
PET-11
PET-CT for the paediatric assessment of neuroblastomas and other neuroendocrine tumours with ¹⁸F-DOPA
Description: Study of dopaminergic uptake in neuroblastoma and other NETs in children.
Preparation
- A minimum fast of 4 hours before the test.
Indications
- Assessment of neuroblastomas and other neuroendocrine tumours.
Test duration
3 to 4 hours.
PET-12
PET-CT for the diagnosis of vasculitis
Description: Early diagnosis of inflammation of medium and large vessels and assessment of the extent and degree of extracranial vascular inflammation.
Preparation
- A fast of at least 6 hours before the injection is required.
Indications
- Assessment of large-vessel vasculitis (LVV):
- Takayasu arteritis (TA).
- Giant cell arteritis (GCA).
Test duration
3 to 4 hours.
PET-13
PET-CT with ¹⁸F-FDG for the detection of inflammatory and infectious processes in the cardiac area
Description: Detection of areas with inflammatory or infectious phenomena in tissues of the cardiac area.
Preparation
- Strict low-calorie diet for 48 hours before the test (see menu here).
- 12-hour fast before the test.
- Good hydration.
Indications
- Suspected septic or inflammatory processes in the myocardium and great vessels.
- Infection of devices in the cardiac area.
Test duration
2 to 3 hours.