Having a PET-MR scan at the EIF QMRI

"When you arrive at reception, you will be greeted by our receptionist & your appointment & name will be confirmed.

You will be taken to our main reception area by the receptionist & asked to wait. You may be asked to complete some paperwork.

You will be taken to an ‘uptake room’, usually a small room with a trolley or chair. You may be asked to change into a gown. There is a separate changing room to do this.

After the examination has been explained to you by the radiographer, they will give you a very small injection of liquid (radiotracer), which is necessary for the scan to work. This is a little bit radioactive & will make you slightly radioactive for a few hours.

The radiotracer needs time to move through your bloodstream to all your body’s cells. This can take between 60-90 minutes. You will remain in the uptake room during this period. You may read or listen to music.

When this ‘uptake time’ is complete you will be taken into the scan room & asked to lie on the scanner table. The radiographer will make you comfortable & you will be given ear protection (ear plugs &/or headphones) as the scanner makes loud noises. You will be given an emergency buzzer which can be used if you wish to stop the scan to come out of the scanner for any reason. Depending on what you are having scanned, a ‘coil’ may be placed around you. This takes the images. You are then moved slowly into the middle of the ‘scanner’, ready to start the scan.

The scan may take between 30-60 minutes, depending on what is being scanned.

After all the images are taken, your scan is complete & you can leave the scanner. The radiographer will escort you back to the changing room, to change back into your clothes. You will then be given instructions by the radiographer about being in contact with people for the next few hours, as you may still be slightly radioactive.

Once you are ready, you will be escorted from the department."

• What is a PET-MR scan?
• FAQs on having a PET-MR scan
• My scan is at the EIF QMRI
• Watch our video about where to find the EIF QMRI
• Watch our video explaining what will happen at your MR scan at the EIF QMRI
• Watch our video explaining what will happen at your CT scan at the EIF QMRI
• Watch our video explaining what will happen at your PET-CT scan at the EIF QMRI
• Watch our video explaining what will happen at your retinal imaging exam at the EIF QMRI

• Please link to the short url for the Having a PET-MR scan at the EIF QMRI webpage:
  • www.ed.ac.uk/edinburgh-imaging/having-a-pet-mr-scan