First had a chat with the Radiographer - usual stuff, do you have diabetes, are you full of metal, what medication are you taking....sign the forms.
Then we had a brief chat about the actual scan and I asked if my chest/lung area would also be scanned, told him about the dodgy ache in the chest area and explained that the CT/MRI scans are not showing anything.
He went off for a bit then came back and said that he'd discussed it and yes they would now scan my chest area too in light of what I'd mentioned, as the CT/MRI could potentially miss tumours in this area if they were very small/early tumours.
He also said he thought it was a good idea for me to have this scan as it would clarify exactly what was happening with the rectal tumour and has the ability to identify any new 'hot-spots'....
I got the impression that he didn't think it was a waste of time or 'not really necessary'
Anyway, after this chat they lay you down on a bed in a quiet area...everyone has a little cubicle with a curtain to draw round for privacy and there's about 6 beds in there.
They come round and put this radioactive stuff into your arm, dim the lights and say 'That's it, have a sleep if you want and we'll wake you in about 1.5hrs'...off they go.
I couldn't sleep because I wasn't actually tired but also because the man in the bed opposite mine was snoring his head off and he sounded like a volcanic explosion :-)
When the time is up, they take you to the PET scan machine and you simply lie there as still as can be for 30 minutes whilst the machine does it's stuff. Then you go home and wait for the results.
Simple really - I still don't know why anyone needed to make me feel this would be difficult. The Radiographer I spoke to today seemed to think it was a really good thing to have done.
Tomorrow I'll email the original hospital and get a new appointment organised with the surgeon to discuss the results and next steps.
