Surveillance & Follow-Up
Transferring Your Surveillance Scans — to a Centre Closer to Home
Years of follow-up scanning can mean years of long journeys. For most people, the scans can move closer to home — as long as the plan is documented and both teams are in communication.
Medically reviewed by Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy, Medical Oncologist, MBBS (Gold Medal) · DNB · DM (Medical Oncology, Gold Medal) · Last reviewed September 2026
- Usually possible — Most surveillance plans can be followed at a local centre, provided the scan type is available there.
- The plan must travel with you — A written surveillance plan from your oncologist is what makes local scanning safe.
- Scan comparability matters — The local centre should use the same scan type and, where possible, a comparable protocol.
- Communication is the risk to manage — Results must reach your original oncologist, not sit unreported at a local centre.
17+
Cancer Specialists
on Panel
on Panel
96.9%
Breast Cancer
Survival Rate*
Survival Rate*
15,000+
Patients
Treated
Treated
4.8★
Google Rating
(800+ reviews)
(800+ reviews)
Yes, transferring your follow-up scans to a centre closer to home is possible for most people. Your original oncologist should provide a written surveillance plan, and the local centre follows it. The key question is whether the local centre can match the scan type and technique used before — ask both teams before you move.
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.
Should you continue at the treating centre or transfer locally?
| Continue at treating centre | Transfer to local centre | |
|---|---|---|
| Convenience | Long travel each visit; time off work | Easier to attend; less missed work and cost |
| Scan comparability | Same equipment and radiologist team throughout | Comparable if the same scan type is requested; protocol may vary |
| What you arrange | Nothing extra; same team sees you | Written plan, baseline images, and a report-forwarding agreement |
| Communication | Results reviewed directly by your oncologist | You or the local team must send reports; gaps are the main risk |
| Cost over time | Travel and accommodation add up across years | Lower per-visit cost; one-off effort to set up the transfer |
| Best suited to | Complex cases, recent treatment change, first year of follow-up | Stable follow-up, straightforward scan type, established protocol |
Does moving to a local centre change the quality of your follow-up?
It should not, if the plan is documented and both centres are communicating. The quality of surveillance depends on what is being looked for, how often, and what happens when something changes — not on which building the scanner is in.
Comparability becomes a real concern with PET-CT. Different scanners, different preparation protocols, and different radiologists can make it harder to compare a new scan against an older one. Ask your oncologist whether scan comparability is a specific concern for your cancer type.
The other risk is a gap in communication. A result at a local centre that does not reach your oncologist is a result that cannot be acted on. Agreeing in writing, before the transfer, who sends what to whom is the single most important step.
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.
Meet the Specialists
17+ senior cancer specialists. One panel for your case.
Trained at AIIMS, Tata Memorial, and leading international centres. Combined 150+ years of experience. Every complex case is reviewed by 3+ of them — together.
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
Medical Oncologist
Medical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Muralidhar Muddusetty
MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery) (AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh)
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vinay Mamidala
MBBS, MS(General Surgery), M.Ch(Surgical Oncology), FMAS, FARIS(Ongoing)
Surgical Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Radiation Oncologist
Hematologist
Interventional Radiologist
Dr. Mohammed Imran
Surgical Oncologist
Dr. Vajja Sandeep Kumar
MBBS, MS (General Surgery), DrNB (Surgical Oncology), FALS Oncology
Surgical Oncologist
Want a specific doctor for your case? Mention them when booking.
Book Free ConsultationBook an appointment with our specialist
Share your name and number — we'll call you back within 30 minutes to schedule your consultation.
Get a straight answer from a specialist
45 minutes, your reports reviewed, your questions answered in plain language.
What do you need to arrange before your first local scan?
- Ask your oncologist for a written surveillance plan
- Request a digital copy of your baseline scans
- Confirm the local centre offers the same scan type
- Agree in writing how reports will reach your oncologist
- Keep your original oncologist's direct contact
- Protect at least one annual visit to the treating centre
What do families ask about transferring follow-up care?
What if my local centre does not have PET-CT?
Ask your oncologist whether a contrast CT is acceptable for your cancer type, or whether PET-CT is specifically required. For some cancers a CT is equivalent for surveillance; for others PET-CT picks up changes a CT would miss. Your oncologist is the right person to answer this — a general answer from a local centre is not enough. If PET-CT is needed and not locally available, CION coordinates PET-CT through partner imaging centres, which may include a location nearer to you.
Who is responsible for reading the result and acting on it?
The local radiologist reads the scan and writes a report. Acting on that report — deciding whether a change is significant and what to do — remains your oncologist's responsibility. This is why the report must reach your oncologist every time. If you receive a result you do not understand, call your oncologist's team that day rather than waiting for a scheduled appointment.
Will a local oncologist know my full treatment history?
Only if you bring it. Ask your treating oncologist for a written transfer summary before your first local appointment. It should cover your diagnosis, the treatment you received, any complications, and the surveillance plan going forward. A local oncologist working from that document can manage your follow-up meaningfully. One working from a verbal summary cannot.
What if a new scan looks different from the last one?
A different-looking scan can mean a genuine change, a difference in scanner or technique, or normal variation. The local radiologist's report should flag any change from prior imaging. If a report mentions any new finding, contact your oncologist the same day so they can review both scans together before you draw any conclusions.
Can I go back to the treating centre for scans if I am worried?
Yes, and there is no obligation to stay with the local centre once you have transferred. If you are anxious about a result, or your oncologist wants to review the original team's reading, returning for a scan at the treating centre is straightforward. Surveillance arrangements are practical decisions, not permanent ones, and you can ask to change them at any time.
Is the first year of follow-up different from later years?
Often yes. The period immediately after treatment tends to involve closer monitoring, and many oncologists prefer the first year of surveillance to stay at the treating centre, where the full team can assess both the scans and how you are feeling in person. Transferring locally tends to work best once the schedule has settled into a routine. Ask your oncologist when they would consider a transfer appropriate in your case.
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
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?
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
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
Is it actually possible to do cancer follow-up scans near my hometown?
Yes, for most people. The scans can be done anywhere with the right equipment. What makes it work is a written surveillance plan from your original oncologist, a copy of your baseline scans for the local radiologist to compare against, and a clear agreement about how results travel back to your treating team. The transfer takes some one-off effort to set up but is usually straightforward once running.
Will transferring my scans affect whether a recurrence is caught?
Not if the transfer is done carefully. What matters is whether the right scan is done at the right frequency and the result is reviewed by someone who knows your history. The risk comes when the scan type changes without reason, the protocol differs significantly, or the report does not reach the person who can act on it. Address those three things and surveillance quality does not suffer.
What documents do I need to transfer my surveillance care?
Ask your treating oncologist for three things: a written surveillance plan naming the scan type, frequency and duration; a treatment summary covering your diagnosis, treatment received and any complications; and a digital copy of your most recent baseline scan. Also agree in writing how reports will be sent to your original oncologist after each scan. This last step is most often skipped and most important.
Can CION coordinate follow-up scans closer to where I live?
CION has 35 or more centres across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, so it is worth asking whether a centre closer to you can follow the same surveillance plan. PET-CT is coordinated through partner imaging centres, and a location nearer to your home may be among them. Speak to your CION oncologist about which parts of your follow-up can move and which are best kept at the treating centre.
Does it matter if the local centre has a different scanner model?
It can matter, particularly for PET-CT, where differences in scanner generation and preparation protocol can affect how images compare over time. For CT or MRI, differences between modern scanners are less likely to cause meaningful comparability problems, though the local radiologist should still have your previous images to compare against. Ask your oncologist whether scanner comparability is a concern for your specific cancer type before you transfer.
What if my local oncologist and my treating oncologist read a result differently?
Ask your treating oncologist — the one who knows your full history — to explain their interpretation and why it differs. You are entitled to a formal second opinion at any point, and your treating team can refer you for one if needed. Disagreements about scan interpretation are not unusual and do not have to be alarming, but they need to be resolved rather than left open.