PET scan (including PSMA PET)PET scan (PSMA PET ke saath)

Yeh scan kya hai aur kyun kiya jata hai

PET ka matlab positron emission tomography hai. Nas mein tracer ki thori miqdar dakhil ki jati hai. Tracer un jagahon par jama hota hai jahan khane bohat masroof hote hain, jaise bohat se cancers. Phir aik khaas camera tracer ke jaane ki tasveer banata hai.

PET aksar CT scan ke saath aik hi machine mein kiya jata hai, jise PET-CT kehte hain, taake tracer ki sargarmi ko jism ki shakl ke saath milaya ja sake. Aap ka urologist yeh jaanne ke liye kah sakta hai ke cancer kitna phail chuka hai, kya wapis aaya hai, ya ilaaj ki mansooba bandi ke liye.

PET har masle ka test nahi hai. Infection aur soojan se bhi khane masroof hote hain, is liye nateeja hamesha dusre tests ke saath parha jata hai.

Prostate cancer ke liye PSMA PET

Prostate cancer ke liye PSMA PET scan aise tracer ka istemal karta hai jo zyada tar prostate cancer ke khanon par lagta hai. Yeh khaas halaat mein istemal hota hai, jaise ilaaj ke baad cancer wapis aa gaya ho, ya ilaaj se pehle phailao ko gehrayi se dekhna ho. Har us mard ke liye yeh routine test nahi jis ka PSA barha ho. Aap ka urologist faisla karega ke yeh zaroori hai ya nahi, aur PSMA PET Pakistan ke har hospital mein dastyab nahi.

Scan se pehle

• Aap ka hospital batayega ke scan se pehle aap ko khana chhorna hai ya kuch khane pine ki cheezon se parhez karna hai. Unki hidayat par poori tarah amal karein, kyun ke kuch khanay tracer ke jazb hone ka tareeqa badal dete hain.
• Team ko batayein agar aap ko sugar (diabetes) hai. Khoon mein sugar scan par asar daalti hai, aur team dawaon ke baare mein hidayat degi. Apne taur par koi dawa badal ya band na karein.
• Team ko batayein agar aap haamla hain ya doodh pila rahi hain. Team scan aur bachay ko doodh pilane ke baare mein mashwara degi.
• Hidayat ke mutabiq pani piyein, khaas tor par garmi mein, jab tak team pani kam karne ko na kahe.
• Scan se pehle zewar, belt aur hairpins utar dein.
• Team ko haal ke scans, radiation ya chemotherapy ke baare mein batayein, kyun ke yeh nateeje par asar daal sakte hain.

Scan ke dauran

Tracer nas mein lagi chhoti si nali (cannula) ke zariye dakhil kiya jata hai, aam tor par baazu mein. Phir aap thori der sakoon se aaram karein gey, taake tracer jism mein phail jaye. Aap ko scan se pehle peshab karne ko kaha ja sakta hai.

Phir aap padded mez par lete hain jo aahista aahista scanner se guzarti hai. Scan mein dard nahi hota aur aam tor par CT scan se zyada waqt lagta hai. Aap ko bilkul sakoon se lete rehna hai. Scanner aik bari ring hai aur aam tor par MRI ki tarah band nali nahi, is liye bohat se log ise kam ghutan wala paate hain.

Scan ke baad

• Din ke baqi hisse mein zyada pani piyein aur baar baar peshab karein, jaisa team batayegi. Is se tracer jism se nikalta hai.
• Team batayegi ke chhote bachon aur hamil khawateen se kitni der tak qareebi rabta kam rakhna hai.
• Aam tor par aap khana peena aur mamool ke kaam jari rakh sakte hain, jab tak team mana na kare.
• Nateeja aam tor par chand dinon mein specialist ke paas se aap ke urologist tak pohanchta hai.

Mumkin khatre

PET mein thori miqdar mein radiation istemal hoti hai. Dose kam hai, aur cancer dhoondne ya ilaaj ki mansooba bandi ka faida aam tor par chhote khatre se zyada hota hai. Isi liye yeh test zaroorat hone par kiya jata hai, routine mein nahi. Tracer se allergy bohat kam hoti hai.

Kuch logon ko nali lagne par chubhan ya jagah par neel pad sakti hai. Team ko kisi gurdon ya mesane ke masle ke baare mein batayein, kyun ke tracer peshab ke zariye jism se nikalta hai.

Aap ke nateeje

Report un jagahon ko batati hai jahan tracer jama hua. Kuch jagahen normal hoti hain. Kuch zyada tracer leti hain aur mazeed dekhne ki zaroorat rakhti hain. Yeh hamesha cancer nahi hoti, kyun ke infection aur soojan se bhi tracer jazb hota hai. Nateeja hamesha aap ki history, muaine aur dusre scans ke saath parha jata hai.

Report aur tasveerein apne urologist ko dikhayein, jo samjhayega ke iska aap ke liye kya matlab hai aur agla qadam kya hona chahiye.

Aam sawalaat

What it is and why it is done

PET stands for positron emission tomography. A small amount of a radioactive tracer is injected into a vein. The tracer collects in parts of the body where cells are very active, such as many cancers. A special camera then builds up a picture of where the tracer has gone.

PET is often combined with a CT scan in one machine, called PET-CT, so that the activity shown by the tracer can be matched to the shape of the body. Your urologist may ask for it to find out how far a cancer has spread, to check whether a cancer has come back, or to plan treatment.

PET is not a test for every problem. Infection and inflammation also make cells active, so the result is always read together with other tests.

PSMA PET for prostate cancer

For prostate cancer, a PSMA PET scan uses a tracer designed to stick to a protein found on most prostate cancer cells. It is used in specific situations, such as when a prostate cancer seems to have come back after treatment, or when a closer look at spread is needed before treatment. It is not a routine test for every man with a raised PSA. Your urologist will decide whether it is needed, and PSMA PET is not available in every hospital in Pakistan.

Before the scan

• Your hospital will tell you whether you need to fast, or to avoid certain foods or drinks before the scan. Follow their instructions exactly, because some foods change how the body takes up the tracer.
• Tell the team if you have diabetes. Blood sugar affects the scan, and your team will give you instructions for your medicines. Please do not change or stop any medicine on your own.
• Tell the team if you may be pregnant or are breastfeeding. Your team will advise you on the scan and on feeding afterwards.
• Drink water as advised, especially in hot weather, unless the team asks you to limit fluids.
• Remove metal items such as jewellery, belts and hairpins before the scan.
• Tell the team about recent scans, radiation or chemotherapy, as these can affect the result.

During the scan

The tracer is injected through a small tube (cannula) placed in a vein, usually in the arm. You then rest quietly for a while, so that the tracer can spread through the body. You may be asked to empty your bladder before the scan.

You then lie on a padded table that moves slowly through the scanner. The scan is painless and usually takes longer than a CT scan. You must keep still. The scanner is a large ring and is not usually a closed tube, so many people find it less confining than an MRI.

After the scan

• Drink plenty of fluids and pass urine often for the rest of the day, as your team advises. This helps clear the tracer from the body.
• Your team will tell you how to keep close contact with small children and pregnant women to a minimum for the rest of the day.
• You can usually eat, drink and carry on as normal afterwards, unless your team says otherwise.
• Results are read by a specialist and sent to your urologist, usually within a few days.

Possible risks

PET uses a small amount of radiation. The dose is low, and the benefit of finding a cancer or planning treatment usually outweighs the small risk. That is why the test is used when it is needed, not routinely. Allergic reactions to the tracer are rare.

Some people feel a sting from the cannula, or get bruising at the site. Please tell the team about any kidney or bladder problem, because the tracer leaves the body in the urine.

Your results

The report describes the areas where the tracer has collected. Some areas are normal. Others take up more tracer and need a closer look. These are not always cancer, because infection and inflammation also take up the tracer. The result is always read with your history, your examination and any other scans.

Please take the report and any pictures to your urologist, who will explain what it means for you and what the next step should be.

Common questions