PET-CT day guide
The Family's Complete Guide to — Your PET-CT Scan Day
A PET-CT appointment takes longer than most families expect, and nobody tells you what actually happens between arrival and collecting the report. This guide gives you the full picture — what to carry, where you will wait, and what to do when the report is in your hands.
Medically reviewed by Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy, Medical Oncologist, MBBS (Gold Medal) · DNB · DM (Medical Oncology, Gold Medal) · Last reviewed September 2026
- The day runs longer than the scan slot — Registration, the rest period, and waiting add up — plan your schedule around the full appointment.
- Your person will go in alone for part of it — This is routine and expected. It is not a sign that anything is wrong.
- Bring the disc as well as the report — Your oncologist needs the images and the written interpretation together — one without the other is not enough.
- Wait for your oncologist before reading the report — Radiology language is written for specialists. Reading it alone before your appointment can cause unnecessary fear.
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A PET-CT scan day runs for longer than most families expect. Your person fasts beforehand, rests quietly after a radiotracer injection while the tracer reaches the tissues, and then has the scan itself. This guide takes you through each stage — from what to pack the night before to collecting the report and what to do with it.
CION's PET-CT scans in Hyderabad start at Rs 10,499 — among the lowest published prices in the city, with no hidden charges. Indicative price, as of September 2026.
What happens on the day, from start to finish?
The night before
Confirm your arrival time and fasting instructions with the imaging centre. Your team will tell you exactly what your person can and cannot have in the hours before. Pack everything tonight — referral letters, scan discs, ID, medicines list — so there is nothing to scramble for in the morning.
Arriving at the centre
Allow more time than you think you need. Parking and finding the right department can take longer than expected. Tell the front desk on arrival if your person has any allergies or if there has been any change in their condition since the scan was booked.
Handing in documents
You will submit the referral letter, previous scan discs and reports, and the medicines list. This is the moment to mention any traditional medicines, supplements, or recent changes in treatment — the team needs the full picture.
Blood glucose check
Before the radiotracer is given, a finger-prick blood test checks blood sugar. The level affects how clearly the scan reads. If your person has diabetes, follow the specific preparation instructions your team gave you exactly — and call them if you did not receive any.
Radiotracer injection and rest
A small injection of radiotracer is given. Your person then rests in a separate quiet room while the tracer moves through the body. You wait in the general area. This period cannot be shortened — plan for it and bring something to read.
The scan itself
The scan takes place in a large, open-sided machine — not an enclosed tube. Your person must lie very still throughout. The technician monitors from outside and will speak to your person during the scan. It is not painful.
After the scan
Your person can eat and drink normally after the scan. Ask the imaging centre whether there are any precautions for the rest of the day around young children or anyone who is pregnant. They will tell you exactly what applies.
Collecting the report
Ask before you leave when the report and image disc will be ready. Some centres issue both the same day; others the next. Collect the printed report and the disc together, and bring both to your oncologist appointment.
What to bring on the day
- Referral letter from your oncologist
- Previous scan discs (CD or USB) and printed reports, if you have them
- Government-issued ID — Aadhaar, passport, or voter card
- Insurance card or hospital card, if applicable
- Written list of all medicines, including supplements and traditional remedies
- Your team's preparation instructions — fasting timing, any medication changes
- Loose, comfortable clothing with no metal fastenings or underwiring
- Something to read or listen to during the long wait
- A small snack and drink for your person to have after the scan
- Payment method if costs are being settled at the centre on the day
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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Why does your person go in alone for part of the appointment?
After the injection, your person rests in a separate quiet room. The tracer needs time to move through the body before the scan, and staying calm and still during this period directly affects image quality.
The separation is also a routine safety measure. The tracer is mildly radioactive in the hours immediately after injection, and imaging centres limit contact with other visitors as a standard precaution. This applies to every patient — it is not specific to your person's situation.
If your person finds the separation distressing, tell the team before the injection is given. They cannot change the protocol, but knowing in advance means they can reassure your person and make the rest period as comfortable as possible.
What do you do while you wait?
For most of the appointment you will be in the general waiting area. Bring food, water, and something to occupy yourself — the total time at the centre is usually longer than the scan slot alone.
Use the time to write down questions for your oncologist appointment, when you take the report. It is easy to forget what you meant to ask when you are sitting across the desk under pressure.
If you are managing other family responsibilities, plan around the full appointment length rather than just the scan time. Ask the imaging centre for a realistic estimate when you confirm.
What do you do once the report is in your hands?
Collect both the printed report and the image disc before you leave. Your oncologist needs both — the images and the written interpretation together — so do not go to your appointment with one but not the other.
Do not read the report on the way home and search online for words you do not recognise. Radiology reports are written for oncologists. Technical language that sounds alarming in isolation may be entirely routine in your person's context.
If your appointment is several days away and something you read worries you, call your oncology team. They can tell you whether it needs attention now or whether it is something to discuss at your scheduled appointment.
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
Your next step
Talk to an oncologist about your scan
Your PET-CT report read by a senior oncologist, explained in plain language, with a free 45-minute consultation.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Can a family member go in with the patient during the scan?
During the rest period after the radiotracer injection, your person stays in a separate quiet room — both for image quality and as a routine safety measure while the tracer is active. During the scan itself, only the technician is in the room. You wait in the general area for both stages. This applies to every patient and is not a sign that anything is wrong. Some centres allow a brief check-in between the rest period and the scan — ask at the front desk when you arrive.
My person has diabetes. Does preparation change?
Yes, and this matters. Preparation for a PET-CT scan when someone has diabetes is different from the standard fasting instructions. Blood sugar levels at the time of the radiotracer injection affect how clearly the scan reads, so the timing of food, insulin, and other diabetes medicines on the morning of the scan all have to be managed carefully. Your oncology team or the imaging centre should give you specific instructions before the appointment. If you have not received any, call them before the day — do not assume the standard fasting instructions apply.
My person is frightened of the machine. What should we do?
Tell the imaging centre when you confirm the appointment, not when you arrive. The PET-CT machine is open on the sides — your person lies on a flat table that moves through a ring, not into a closed tube. Most people find it easier than they anticipated. The technician explains what is happening throughout and speaks to your person during the scan. If anxiety is severe, speak to your oncologist before the appointment about what support might be appropriate. Arriving already distressed and hoping to manage it in the moment makes the scan harder.
How long should we allow for the whole appointment?
Ask the imaging centre directly when you confirm — total time varies by centre, by what is being scanned, and by how busy the day is. The appointment slot you are given usually reflects the scan time alone. Add the registration process, the rest period after the radiotracer injection, and any waiting between stages, and the total time at the centre is typically much longer. Planning around the full appointment avoids the stress of having to rush before you have collected the report.
We read the report and some of the words are frightening. What should we do?
Call your oncology team before searching online. Radiology reports are written for oncologists and use clinical language that is routinely misread out of context. A phrase like 'FDG-avid lesion' or 'heterogeneous uptake' can sound alarming and may mean something entirely expected and already known in your person's case. Your oncologist will explain the report in full at your appointment. If that appointment is several days away and what you read genuinely worries you, calling the team is the right step — they can tell you whether anything needs attention now.