Whole-Body PET/CT Protocol
| Step | Details |
|---|---|
| Patient preparation | Administration of 1.5 L of negative oral contrast material after intravenous administration of 18F-FDG |
| Removal of metallic materials from scan area (e.g., zippers, removable bracelets, fashion items, piercings) | |
| Fixation of intravenous access (mostly antecubital vein; central venous catheter or port) and connection to intravenous injector pump | |
| Patient positioning | Patient position in scanner: head first, supine |
| Arms above head, supported by positioning aids (e.g., cushions) | |
| Positioning aids for knee or ankle | |
| CT overview scan (scout or topogram) | Covered area: head, neck, chest, abdomen, and middle of thighs |
| Whole-body CT scan | Scan direction: caudocranial |
| Scan delay: 50 s after start of intravenous contrast material injection* | |
| Scan from base of skull to upper thighs | |
| Tube current: 100 mA† | |
| Tube voltage: 130 kV† | |
| Slice thickness: 5 mm; increment: 2.5 mm† | |
| Breathing protocol†: instruct patient to breathe in shallow manner until middle of abdomen is reached and then instruct patient to hold breath during expiration; allow shallow breathing after middle of chest is reached | |
| Whole-body PET scan | Scan direction: caudocranial |
| Shallow breathing throughout scan |