Diagnostic Imaging

an experienced team with a proven track record

Having convenient access to advanced diagnostic equipment, like PET and CT scans, can make managing your healthcare needs a little easier. For over 40 years, Coastal Cancer Center has proudly provided the leading services dedicated to treating blood disorders and cancer at their offices throughout the Grand Strand area.

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When you’re facing a cancer diagnosis, you want an experienced oncology team with a proven track record.

What is a PET scan?

PET, or positron emission tomography, scans are a specific type of digital imaging test that relies on radioactive drugs to illuminate your tissue and organ function. This technology can sometimes reveal signs of disease before other types of imaging tests can.

Depending on the tissue or organ being evaluated, the radioactive drug, or tracer, is either inhaled, swallowed, or injected. As it moves through your system, the tracer can reveal higher levels of chemical activity that might indicate disease. When this occurs, a bright spot appears in the area.

Coastal Cancer Center offers PET scan imaging at their Conway and Myrtle Beach locations.

What can I expect during a PET scan?

PET scans usually take around 45 minutes.

Before your PET scan begins, you receive the radioactive tracer. After waiting 30-60 minutes, you lie on a motorized table that moves you inside the round tube housing the PET scanner. You lie still during the scan and may hear the machine making clicking and buzzing noises.

PET scans are usually painless, though you may feel a cold sensation if your provider administers your tracer by injection. Generally, you can resume normal activities after your test while drinking plenty of fluids to flush the radioactive drug from your system.

Call Coastal Cancer Center to schedule a PET scan today.

Why do I need a PET scan?

Your provider might order a PET scan for a variety of reasons. Because they look at the chemical activity in your body, they can help detect numerous conditions, including heart disease, brain disorders, and many cancers.

PET scans can also:

Reveal if cancer has spread
Evaluate the efficacy of your cancer treatments
Look for cancer recurrence

Using a PET scan can help your provider make a more accurate diagnosis and better understand the extent of your condition.

How does a PET scan detect cancer?

Cancer cells have a higher metabolic rate than normal cells, so they appear as bright spots on PET scans. PET scans can also reveal some forms of solid tumors, such as:

Brain, head, and neck
Colorectal
Prostate
Thyroid
Esophageal
Pancreatic

Not all types of cancer appear on PET scans, and several non-cancerous conditions can look like cancer. That’s why it’s essential to have an experienced provider interpret your PET scan results.

What is a CT scan?

CT, or computerized tomography scans take more detailed scans and images of your body than those that plain X-rays have to offer. They combine traditional X-ray imaging with computer technology to create images that are detailed cross-sections of the area photographed.

Coastal Cancer Center offers this specific type of imaging at their Conway and Myrtle Beach locations.

What can I expect during a CT scan?

CT scans usually take around 30 minutes.

During your CT scan at Coastal Cancer Center, you lie on a motorized table. This table moves you inside the machine’s round tube that houses the scanner. Your technician might position you with pillows or straps to help keep you in the same position throughout the entire scan.

When the CT scan starts, you may notice clicks, whirrs, and buzzes as the scanner rotates around you capturing images. While this takes place, your technician or doctor can communicate with you by intercom from an adjacent room. At different points during your CT scan, they might ask you to hold your breath while capturing specific images.

CT scans are usually painless. If you need a contrast CT scan, however, you might experience minimal discomfort because of the contrast dye injection.

To learn more about diagnostic imaging available at Coastal Cancer Center, schedule an appointment by calling the office today.

Why do I need a CT scan?

Your provider might recommend a CT scan to check soft tissues in your body, like your abdominal organs, brain, or liver. These noninvasive tests can also detect solids and liquids in your body, as well as the blood supply in specific areas.

A CT scan might also be recommended to capture more detailed images of abnormalities detected during standard X-rays or ultrasounds. This specific type of imaging can help your provider locate a wide range of issues, including:

Internal bleeding or injury
Masses or tumors
Stones or other blockages
Cysts

Your provider might also use a CT scan to monitor your condition and the effectiveness of your treatment. In some cases, CT scans also help doctors guide certain therapies or prepare for surgical procedures.

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