What PET/MRI is used for

Your doctor may recommend PET/MRI to diagnose or assess:

• Cancer
• Heart conditions
• Brain conditions

Because PET/MRI uses less radiation than other scans, it may be recommended for:

• People who need frequent scans
• Children
• Older people
• People with limited immune systems (immunocompromised)

Before your appointment

You’ll get instructions through MyChart. In some cases, you may need to:

• Stop eating and drinking for several hours
• Avoid exercising for 24 hours
• Avoid insulin injections for several hours

 Please follow instructions, or we may have to reschedule your scan.

If you’re anxious about being in the scanner, you can ask your doctor to prescribe medication to help you relax. In that case, please bring someone to drive you home.

You’ll be checked for clothing and items that contain metal. If you need to remove clothing, we’ll give you a gown.

Let us know if:

You’ll be late or can’t come. Please call us as soon as possible at 503-494-8468. Your radiotracer is custom-made and expires after a short time.

You’re unable to lie still for more than a few minutes.

You’re pregnant or think you may be pregnant.

You have a medical implant that uses electricity or other outside power.

You have diabetes. Please test your blood sugar before coming in. If it’s over 250 mg/dL, please call us at 503-494-8468.

You had a seizure up to 24 hours before a brain scan. Please call us at
503-494-8468.

At your appointment

You’ll be screened to make sure it’s safe to do a scan.

You’ll be injected with the radiotracer. You’ll wait about 45 minutes for it to spread through your body. You’ll also get contrast, a substance that makes your organs and systems easier to see on the scan.

You’ll be scanned while lying on a table that moves in and out of the tunnel-shaped scanner. We have cushions for your comfort. We’ll put a blanket-like coil on or around the area we are scanning. For head scans, we use a see-through helmet.

Scans take 30 to 90 minutes and are painless. You can talk to us, and we’ll check on you often. If you feel stressed, you can ask to stop. We’ll see if we can use the images we have. We can always schedule you for another scan.

If you have a medical implant, we’ll check it after your scan.

PET: The scanner uses the radiotracer to create color-coded images of how hard your organs and systems are working.

MRI: The scanner uses magnets and radio waves to create images of your organs and systems.

PET/MRI does both scans at once.

After your appointment

You can eat and drink as usual. Drinking extra water will help flush out the radiotracer.  It’s usually gone in a few hours.

If you are breastfeeding, you don’t need to pump and throw out your milk.

You will get your results within a week. You may want to look at them with the doctor who recommended the PET/MRI.

Does insurance cover PET/MRI?

It depends on your plan. It’s best to call your insurer to check. See which insurance plans OHSU takes.

How long is the wait for an appointment?

We usually schedule your appointment within two weeks of getting your doctor’s request.

What are your hours?

We offer PET/MRI appointments between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays.

Can I bring anyone to my appointment?

You may bring another adult who is not pregnant. If you’re taking medication to relax, please bring a driver.

How big is the scanner’s opening?

The opening, or bore, in our PET/MRI scanner is 26 inches wide. If you are a larger person, we will test whether you can fit comfortably.

Is a PET/MRI scan loud?

Yes. You’ll hear loud noises, like knocking.

Are there any side effects to PET/MRI?

Not for most people. Some people may have allergic reactions to the contrast. These reactions are rare and usually mild. If this happens, we’ll give you medication.

Do I have to avoid hugging my loved ones after a PET/MRI scan?

No. The radiotracer dose we use for a PET/MRI scan isn’t big enough to harm others.

We recommend not bringing children to your scan. That way, they won’t be exposed to radiation on the way home.