Urgent PET-CT in Hyderabad: — How to Get a Same-Day Scan

A referral from your oncologist or treating doctor is required, not optional. Imaging centres do not schedule PET-CT scans for oncology patients without a clinical referral because the scan involves a radioactive tracer and the results need to be read in the context of your specific diagnosis. If you do not have a referral, contact your treating centre and explain that you need the scan urgently — they can issue the referral letter the same day in most cases.

Yes, and the preparation rules are identical whether the booking is urgent or standard. You will be told exactly what you can eat and drink, and from when, at the time you confirm the appointment. Do not assume anything before you receive those instructions — what you can have depends on the specific scan protocol. Not following preparation correctly is the most common reason a scan has to be rescheduled, which on an urgent booking is a serious setback.

Allow several hours from arrival to departure. After the tracer injection you wait for it to distribute through your body before the scan begins, and the scan itself takes additional time depending on the area being imaged. Bring water, something to keep you calm during the wait, and a companion — both for practical support during the visit and because you should not drive yourself home after the procedure.

Tell the imaging centre when you call to book, not when you arrive. Your blood sugar level at the time of the scan directly affects how well the tracer is taken up by body tissues, which affects the quality of the images. The centre may ask you to come at a different time of day or give specific instructions about your diabetes medication and meals on the day. Do not try to manage this yourself — let the team guide you through it when you call.

You can request expedited reporting when you book and explain that the result is needed urgently for a treatment decision. Same-day reporting is not guaranteed and depends on the radiologist's availability at that centre. A realistic expectation is that your oncologist will have the report within a day or two, and in genuinely urgent clinical situations that timeline can be shortened. Raise this at the time of booking rather than on the day of the scan — it is harder to arrange at the last moment.

Ask the CION coordinator to check availability at other partner centres in Hyderabad rather than accepting a delay at the nearest site. For many patients it is worth travelling further to get the scan done a day earlier. If no same-day slot is available anywhere, your oncologist should be told immediately — they may be able to contact the imaging centre directly to flag the clinical urgency, which sometimes opens availability that is not visible when a patient calls in.