The scan is a type of nuclear imaging test that shows the exact locations of radiotracers and their effect throughout a patient’s body. The CT scan uses radiation to look at your anatomy – the size and location of organs, bones and tissues. The SPECT scan looks at your physiology – how the radiotracer behaves, or where it goes inside your body.
Clinicians inject radiotracers into a patient’s vein that will attach to appropriate receptors on cells inside your body. This infusion can happen up to several days before the SPECT/CT scan, or it may happen the day of. When you go to the clinic for your SPECT/CT scan, wear comfortable clothing and leave jewelry, watches and other metals at home.
The technologist will position you on a table that moves you into the imaging gantry with detectors that see radiotracers inside your body. The system’s 12 CZT digital focus detectors adjust to fit your shape and size. Gamma ray photons convert to digital signals to produce a 3D image of cancer cells detected by radiotracers.
Patients may have a regular SPECT scan or a SPECT/CT scan that is a SPECT and a CT scan together.
SPECT/CT scan is a noninvasive outpatient imaging procedure, after which you can go home. Your doctor will review the images and their meaning with you at a follow-up appointment.