What is a PET scan?
Positron emission tomography (PET) is one kind of imaging that displays the state of your organs and tissues. Generally speaking, a PET scan is coupled with a CT scan. Structural information for the PET scan is gathered at Austin Health from the CT component of the scan. Depending on the clinical situation, this does not entirely rule out the necessity for a stand-alone diagnostic CT scan.
Before your PET scan
Please fast for six hours before your scan. Have nothing to eat or drink except water. Drinking water will help you stay hydrated. Please let us know whether you are diabetic, claustrophobic, pregnant, or nursing before your visit.
What does a PET/CT scan consist of?
Arriving for your scan, you will first meet a technologist. They will go over the operation and probe your medical background.
You would then have a radioactive tracer injection. While the tracer travels around your body, you must lie in a dark room for one hour.
You will then enter the scanner room for the 20 to 30-minute PET/CT scan.
Let at least two hours for the whole operation. Following the scan, you can drive home and resume your regular schedule.
Should you be drugged and claustrophobic, kindly arrange for someone to transport you home. Tell us whether you experience claustrophobia when making your appointment.
In case of any delays, it is advisable not to plan another appointment near your PET scan.
Does a PET/CT scan provide any hazards?
You will be exposed to a relatively low radiation dosage. No side effects are known. Please let us know if you have any concerns.
Can anyone book anyone? A medical physician or consultant must complete and sign the PET recommendation at Austin Health. A GP is not allowed to refer a patient for a PET scan.
Is a PET scan something I pay for?
Most PET scans are free if you are a Medicare-covered citizen or permanent resident of Australia.
The patient may be charged if Medicare rejects a restricted number of approved indications. Usually, though, you and your referring doctor talk about the charge decision before the PET scan.
Receiving a reference
Your GP or another medical practitioner may occasionally recommend you to a medical expert for follow-up investigations. Usually, your GP is conversant with several specialists.
Fees set by specialists could vary depending on the provider and their region. When selecting a specialist, consider your requirements and preferences; this will help you and your GP determine the best fit for your treatment.
One can also request a reference from several appropriate specialists. We term this an open referral.
Your available choices for treatment
Both public and private healthcare systems offer accessible medical treatments and procedures. Where and how you obtain treatment determines your out-of-pocket cost.PET Scan Pricing: What Affects the Cost and How to Budget.
If you are a public patient registered with Medicare, treatments are free from out-of-pocket fees.
Patients pay the difference between the doctor’s fees, the total paid by Medicare, and their insurance in hospitals for insured private patients.
Patients pay the difference between the doctor’s fees and any Medicare payment for out-of-hospital treatment. Private health insurance typically does not cover out-of-hospital treatments.Guide on expenses and fees.
Fees and expenses: what we refer to
A medical “fee” on the Medical Costs Finder website is the price a general practitioner (GP) or medical specialty charges for a specific medical treatment.
Your medical price payment is known as an “out-of-pocket cost.” One might alternatively call this “out-of-pocket,” “patient payment,” “patient contribution,” or a “gap payment.”
Medical professionals establish their fees
A “bulk billing” system is one whereby medical professionals may decide to bill Medicare straight for treatments rendered to their patients. Should you be “bulk billed,” you are free from paying any out-of-pocket expenses. Bulk billing facilitates patient access to more reasonably priced care.The glossary of terminology on the website provides further definitions.
Seeing your general practitioner
Primary care can be accessed at thousands of GP offices scattered throughout Australia. A good starting point is the Healthdirect website, which lets you locate GP offices nearby. You may also filter for mass billing techniques.You can phone ahead to verify their operation hours and.To learn more about their facts and fun or their paid price that you may not know before today.
- Whether they provide batch billing
- What possible out-of-pocket expenses would be relevant?
- Which Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS) item numbers most likely will be claimed?
Links and downloads
- PET patient information for a whole body PET scan (PDF – 146.3 KB)
- PET patient information for a brain PET scan (PDF – 137.6 KB)
- PET patient information for a GATATE or PSMA PET scan (PDF – 136.3 KB)
