PET/CT at Cancer Care Northwest

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What is a PET/CT?

A PET/CT scan is a safe, painless, non-invasive imaging procedure that combines two powerful technologies:

• PET (Positron Emission Tomography): Captures metabolic activity in the body. It identifies how cells are functioning based on how they use glucose or other substances. It can detect small changes in the body’s metabolism due to the abnormal growth of cells.
• CT (Computed Tomography): Provides detailed images of anatomical structures like organs, bones, and tissues.

By integrating both technologies, physicians get a complete picture: where a tumor is located and how active or aggressive it may be, all in one session. This approach makes it easier to detect various cancers including breast, melanoma, lymphoma, lung and more.

 

Why should I get a PET/CT?

Benefits of PET/CT Imaging:

• Early detection of disease, often before symptoms develop.
• Precise tumor location, size, and shape.
• Improved staging of cancers to determine the extent of spread.
• Enhanced treatment planning: Helps doctors choose the most effective therapies.
• Monitoring response to treatment in real time.
• Detection of recurrence before physical symptoms appear.

Before PET/CT, separate PET and CT scans were taken, and physicians had to manually match the images. This often led to inaccuracies, delays, and unnecessary procedures. The combined PET/CT scan eliminates those issues.

 

How does the procedure work?

• Tracer Injection:
  • To begin the procedure, you will receive an intravenous injection of a radioactive tracer (commonly a glucose-based substance like F-18 FDG).
  • The tracer travels through your bloodstream and collects in areas with high metabolic activity, such as cancer cells.
• Resting Period:
  • You’ll wait about 60 minutes in a quiet room while the tracer distributes throughout your body.
• The Scan:
  • You lie on a flat table that slowly passes through the PET/CT machine.
  • The CT scan takes detailed X-ray images.
  • The PET scan detects the radiation emitted by the tracer in your body.
  • The scanner’s computer combines these images into one comprehensive view.
• Image Analysis:
  • Areas with abnormal cell activity (like tumors) appear as bright spots on the scan. When disease occurs, the biochemistry of your tissues and cells changes. In cancer, for example, cells begin to grow at a much faster rate and metabolize (break down) sugar at a higher rate than normal cells.
  • Normal tissues have low tracer uptake and appear less prominently.

 

PET/CT at Cancer Care Northwest

Cancer Care Northwest is home to the GE Discovery IQ 4-Ring PET/CT Scanner, the most sensitive imaging technology available today. This sophisticated scanner not only produces pictures that show the location and nature of the tumor, but it also takes four-dimensional (4D) images that capture a tumor in motion.

Our PET/CT scanner is the busiest scanner in the Inland Northwest and is located within our South Spokane Treatment Center (601 S Sherman Street).

Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (F18 – FDG) PET/CT scan

F-18 FDG PET scans play a vital role in cancer care and are used throughout the patient journey at Cancer Care Northwest:

• Diagnosis: Detects many types of cancers, including lung, lymphoma, colorectal, melanoma, breast, head and neck, and others.

• Staging: Determines how far cancer has spread, helping guide treatment decisions.

• Treatment Planning: Helps oncologists choose the most appropriate therapies, such as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation.

• Response Evaluation: Measures how effectively a tumor responds to treatment, allowing for timely adjustments if needed.

• Recurrence Monitoring: Identifies potential cancer recurrence early—even before symptoms develop.

Tracer: Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), a radioactive form of glucose.

How It Works:

• Cancer cells use more glucose than normal cells.

• FDG highlights areas with high glucose consumption.

Prep:

• Fasting required: At least 6 hours before the exam.

• Time Required: Approx. 90 minutes total.

 

Gallium-68 (GA-68) Dotatate PET/CT scan (Neuroendocrine Tumors)

Cancer Care Northwest offers Gallium-68 (GA-68) Dotatate PET/CT scans for the localization of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) that are somatostatin receptor positive. NET tumors develop most commonly in the lungs, appendix, small intestine, rectum, and pancreas.  

Tracer: Gallium-68 Dotatate, an intravaneous tracer which binds to somatostatin receptors.

How It Works:

• NET cells often overexpress somatostatin receptors.
• The tracer binds to these receptors, and cancerous areas show up as bright spots.

Prep:

• No fasting required.
• Time Required: Approx. 2 hours total.

Benefits:

• Higher accuracy and specificity than older techniques, which help oncologists to diagnose, stage and treat the cancer, and in disease management.
• Localizes disease and helps determine its full extent.

 

What to Expect and How to Prepare for a PET/CT Scan

Scan Type	Fasting Required	Scan Duration	Special Instructions
F-18 FDG PET/CT	Yes (6 hrs)	~90 minutes	Avoid strenuous exercise prior
Ga-68 Dotatate PET/CT	No	~2 hours	Relax and stay well hydrated
Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT	No	~90-120 minutes	Inform staff of recent procedures

 

Before the Scan:

• Wear comfortable clothes; avoid metal (zippers, jewelry).
• Inform your provider of pregnancy, breastfeeding, or diabetes.

After the Scan:

• You can resume normal activities.
• Drink fluids to help flush the tracer from your system.

Helpful Handouts:

• PET/CT Patient Preparation 
• Bone PET/CT Scan Patient Preparation
• CT IV Contrast Prep Form

 

ACR Gold Standard of Accreditation

The American College of Radiology (ACR) has awarded CCNW’s PET/CT Center with its Gold Standard of Accreditation, meaning:

• Staff and radiologists meet the highest professional standards.
• Equipment is regularly inspected and meets strict technical guidelines.
• Patient safety and image quality are rigorously upheld.

This recognition is given only after a peer-reviewed evaluation by board-certified physicians and medical physicists who are experts in the field.

 

Learn More

Contact Cancer Care Northwest or speak with your oncologist about whether a PET/CT is right for you. The CCNW team can help guide you through preparation, what to expect, and how your scan fits into your care plan.