Managing scan records
Collecting and Storing — Your PET-CT Report and CD
When the scan ends, the imaging centre hands you a printed report and a CD. Many families take the report and leave the CD forgotten on a shelf. The CD is the one that matters most — it holds the image data every specialist will need at every future consultation.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla, Medical Oncologist, MBBS · MD · DM (Adyar, Chennai) · ECMO · MRCP SCE (UK) · Last reviewed September 2026
- Two documents, not one — The printed report describes findings in words. The CD holds the actual image files. You need both.
- DICOM is the format — The image files on the CD are in DICOM format — the universal standard that every radiologist's software can open.
- The CD cannot easily be replaced — Imaging centres keep data for a limited time. If the disc is lost and the data has been deleted, the images are gone.
- A digital backup takes minutes — You can copy the files to a USB drive or Google Drive at home. The whole process takes a few minutes and costs nothing.
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After a PET-CT, always collect both the printed report and the image CD before you leave. The CD contains your scan images in DICOM format — the raw data every future oncologist, surgeon, or specialist will need to review. The printed report alone is not enough for a detailed second opinion or a treatment decision.
CION does PET-CT in Hyderabad from Rs 10,499 — among the lowest published prices in the city, with no hidden charges. Indicative price, as of September 2026.
What do you receive after a PET-CT scan?
You receive two separate things, and both matter. The first is the printed report — a text document written by the radiologist describing what the scan found. The second is a CD or DVD containing the actual scan images.
The images on the CD are stored in a format called DICOM. DICOM is the international standard for medical imaging, and it is what your oncologist, surgeon, or any specialist will open when they want to review your scan directly.
Many families collect only the printed report. This is not enough. The written summary describes what the radiologist saw, but treating doctors often want to look at the images themselves — and for that, they need the CD.
How do you collect the report and CD before you leave?
Ask at the counter as soon as the scan finishes
Tell the imaging staff you need both the printed report and the image CD. Some centres issue them together; others use separate counters for each.
Ask them to confirm the CD opens
Request that a staff member checks the disc loads correctly on their computer before you leave. A blank or unreadable disc is much easier to replace while you are still at the centre.
Write the date and scan type on the CD sleeve
Use a ballpoint pen on the paper sleeve — not on the shiny disc surface. Write the date and 'PET-CT' so you can find it in a stack of folders later.
Check the report is signed and stamped
The printed report should carry the radiologist's name, signature, and the imaging centre's stamp. This is what hospitals, second-opinion services, and insurers typically require.
Ask if a duplicate disc is available
Some imaging centres will burn a second copy at no extra charge if you ask before leaving. A duplicate is useful if the original is ever lost or damaged.
PET-CT Partner Centres
PET-CT Scan Centres in Hyderabad
CION offers PET-CT scans through 4 trusted partner PET-CT centres across Hyderabad, so you can choose the one closest to you. Call 18002028726 and we’ll guide you to the earliest available appointment.
PET-CT Centre — Punjagutta
PET-CT Centre — Himayatnagar
PET-CT Centre — Narayanaguda
These are partner diagnostic centres within the CION network. Toll-free booking: 18002028726.
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Where should you keep the CD, and how do you back it up?
Store the CD in its paper sleeve or a hard plastic case. Loose in a bag or a drawer, it scratches easily. A scratched disc can become unreadable, and image data cannot be recovered from memory.
Back it up digitally as soon as you can. Insert the CD into a computer and copy the entire folder of files — they will have a .dcm extension — onto a USB drive or into a folder on your hard drive. Label it with the date and scan type.
Google Drive or iCloud works well as a cloud backup. Upload the whole folder of image files, not a screenshot or a photo taken of the printed report. Only the original DICOM files are usable for clinical review.
If you need to share images with a remote specialist, send a Google Drive link. Images shared over WhatsApp are compressed automatically and lose the fine detail that a radiologist needs.
What should you check before leaving the imaging centre?
- Printed report collected, signed, and stamped
- Image CD collected
- CD confirmed to open on the centre's computer
- Date and scan type written on the CD sleeve
- Asked about a duplicate disc
- Plan made to copy the CD files to USB or Google Drive at home
CION does PET-CT in Hyderabad from Rs 10,499 — among the lowest published prices in the city — including an oncologist-reviewed report and a free Rs 950 consultation. Indicative price, as of September 2026.
Explore 62 more Family Support, Myths, Follow-Up and Emergencies topics
Caretaker & Family Guide
- A Printable PET-CT Day Checklist for Families
- After the Scan: What the Family Should Know
- Collecting and Storing the Report and Images
- Coordinating a Scan for a Parent in Another City
- Explaining a Parent's Scan to Children
- Explaining the Scan to an Anxious Patient
- Getting an Elderly Parent to and From the Scan
- Helping Someone Fast Before a PET-CT
- Managing Cost and Payment as a Family
- Preparing Questions for the Post-Scan Consultation
- The Family's Complete Guide to a PET-CT Scan Day
- What the Attendant Can and Cannot Do During the Scan
Emergencies & Red Flags
- Accidental Radiation Exposure: Pregnancy Discovered After a Scan
- Breathing Difficulty During or After a Scan
- Delayed Contrast Reaction Hours After the Scan
- Emergencies Around a PET-CT Scan: What Needs Immediate Care
- Fainting or Collapse at the Scan Centre
- Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycaemia) During Fasting
- Panic Attack During the Scan
- Severe Contrast Reaction: Recognising It
- What to Do If the Cannula Site Swells or Hurts After
- When to Call the Centre After Your Scan
Follow-Up & Surveillance Scanning
- Can You Refuse a Follow-Up PET Scan?
- Follow-Up Scanning During Long-Term Treatment
- How Often Will You Need a PET-CT After Treatment?
- Is Routine Surveillance PET Actually Recommended?
- Keeping a Personal Scan Log
- Reducing Radiation Across Years of Surveillance
- Scan-Based vs Symptom-Based Follow-Up
- Surveillance Scanning by Cancer Type: A Reference Table
- The Annual Cost of Cancer Surveillance Scanning
- Transferring Surveillance to a Centre Closer to Home
- What Happens If a Surveillance Scan Shows Something?
- When Can You Stop Having Scans?
Myths & Misinformation
- Ayurvedic and Alternative Alternatives to a PET Scan
- Myth: A Normal PET Scan Means You Are Cured
- Myth: A PET Scan Can Cause Cancer
- Myth: A PET Scan Detects Every Cancer
- Myth: A PET Scan Spreads or Worsens Cancer
- Myth: A Positive PET Scan Means You Definitely Have Cancer
- Myth: A Scan From a Cheaper Centre Will Not Be Accepted
- Myth: An Expensive Scan Is Always a Better Scan
- Myth: Eating Sugar Before a Scan Will Show Up Cancer
- Myth: PET Scans Are Only for Terminal Cancer
- Myth: The Tracer Injection Is a Kind of Chemotherapy
- Myth: You Should Avoid Water After a PET Scan
- Myth: You Should Get a PET Scan Every Year to Be Safe
- Myth: You Stay Radioactive for Days After a PET Scan
Scanxiety & Emotional Impact
- Fear of What the Scan Will Find
- Getting Bad News From a Scan Report
- Getting Good News: Why Relief Is Complicated
- Living Between Scans: The Six-Month Rhythm
- Making the Most of Your Post-Scan Consultation
- Recurring Scanxiety in Long-Term Surveillance
- Scanxiety: The Fear Before and After a PET-CT
- Should You Look Up Your Results Online Before the Consult?
- Supporting Someone Through Scan Day
- Telling Family About Scan Results
- The Night Before a PET-CT Scan
- Waiting for PET-CT Results: How to Get Through It
- When a Patient Refuses to Have the Scan
- When to Seek Counselling Around Scans
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Common questions
Frequently asked questions
What is a DICOM file and why does the doctor need it?
DICOM is the standard format in which medical scanners save their images. Your PET-CT creates a folder of DICOM files, each one a single cross-section of the body. A radiologist or oncologist opens this folder in a viewer programme and scrolls through the scan layer by layer. The printed report describes what the radiologist saw; the DICOM files let any future doctor see it for themselves. The CD is not a decorative extra — it is the actual scan data, not a summary of it.
Can I send the scan images to a specialist over WhatsApp?
WhatsApp compresses every image before sending. The file the doctor receives is a fraction of the original size and quality. For a photograph this does not matter; for a PET-CT it removes the fine detail that a radiologist or oncologist needs to assess the scan properly. Share DICOM files through Google Drive, send a download link by email, or bring the CD or a USB copy in person. A screenshot or a photo of the printed report is not a substitute for the original image files.
How long should we keep the PET-CT CD?
Keep it for as long as treatment is ongoing, and for several years after that. Scans taken before treatment started are used as a baseline to compare against later scans, sometimes years down the line. If a new symptom appears or the disease changes, an early scan can be the most valuable document in the file. Ask your treating oncologist how long they recommend keeping imaging for your specific situation — and until you have that conversation, do not discard any scan.
What do we do if the CD is scratched or will not open?
Go back to the imaging centre as soon as you can. Most centres store the original image data on their servers for a period after the scan and can burn a replacement disc on request. Bring your original appointment slip or the printed report to help them locate the scan. If the centre no longer holds the data, ask your oncologist's office to contact them on your behalf — they may be able to request it through a clinical channel that families cannot always access directly.
Can we make our own digital copy of the images at home?
Yes, and it is worth doing straight away. Insert the CD into a computer and copy the entire contents — the folder of .dcm files — onto a USB drive or a cloud folder such as Google Drive. Label the folder with the patient's name, the date, and the scan type. This digital copy does not replace the original disc, which you should still keep safely in its sleeve. If the CD is ever lost or damaged and you have a cloud backup, you still have the image data to share with any future doctor.