Q: Hi. I would like to know if a PET scan can be a dangerous examination. I have many allergies and intolerances and I would like to know if it is possible to tell if a person can have a reaction during the examination. Is it possible to be allergic to the instruments used in radiology? How can this be determined?
A: Dear Sir / Madam, PET is not a dangerous examination and after the patient is released from the ward, they can carry on with their normal activities. No allergic reaction or intolerance is known to our radiopharmaceuticals, which have nothing to do with the contrast media injected for CT or MRI. We use totally different substances, that have only one peculiarity and that is that they are radioactive. Moreover, even in case of documented allergy to the substance, the amount administered is rather small (the injected liquid is almost all water) and the risk of having an allergic reaction is nominal. Best regards
