Performing PET/CT studies: do they create anxiety?

Abreu, Carla; Lucena, Filipa; Grilo, Ana Monteiro

Publication

Performing PET/CT studies: do they create anxiety?

2014-05Conference object

dc.contributor.author	Abreu, Carla
dc.contributor.author	Lucena, Filipa
dc.contributor.author	Grilo, Ana Monteiro
dc.date.accessioned	2016-01-14T15:25:07Z
dc.date.available	2016-01-14T15:25:07Z
dc.date.issued	2014-05
dc.description.abstract	Introduction: Anxiety is a common problem in primary care and specialty medical settings. Treating an anxious patient takes more time and adds stress to staff. Unrecognised anxiety may lead to exam repetition, image artifacts and hinder the scan performance. Reducing patient anxiety at the onset is probably the most useful means of minimizing artifactual FDG uptake, both fat brown and skeletal muscle uptake, as well patient movement and claustrophobia. The aim of the study was to examine the effects of information giving on the anxiety levels of patients who are to undergo a PET/CT and whether the patient experience is enhanced with the creation of a guideline. Methodology: Two hundred and thirty two patients were given two questionnaires before and after the procedure to determine their prior knowledge, concerns, expectations and experiences about the study. Verbal information was given by one of the technologists after the completion of the first questionnaire. Results: Our results show that the main causes of anxiety in patients who are having a PET/CT is the fear of the procedure itself, and fear of the results. The patients who suffered from greater anxiety were those who were scanned during the initial stage of a disease. No significant differences were found between the anxiety levels pre procedural and post procedural. Findings with regard to satisfaction show us that the amount of information given before the procedure does not change the anxiety levels and therefore, does not influence patient satisfaction. Conclusions: The performance of a PET/CT scan is an important and statistically generator of anxiety. PET/CT patients are often poorly informed and present with a range of anxieties that may ultimately affect examination quality. The creation of a guideline may reduce the stress of not knowing what will happen, the anxiety created and may increase their satisfaction in the experience of having a PET/CT scan.	pt_PT
dc.identifier.citation	Abreu C, Lucena F, Grilo A. Performing PET/CT studies: do they create anxiety? In International Conference of Nuclear Medicine Technologies & X Seminar of Nuclear Medicine from Lisbon School of Health Technology, Lisbon, 30-31 May 2014.	pt_PT
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10400.21/5548
dc.language.iso	eng	pt_PT
dc.peerreviewed	yes	pt_PT
dc.relation.publisherversion	http://sites.estesl.ipl.pt/icnmt/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/AbstractBook_IICNMT_final_julho.pdf	pt_PT
dc.rights.uri	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/	pt_PT
dc.subject	Nuclear medicine	pt_PT
dc.subject	PET/CT	pt_PT
dc.subject	Anxiety	pt_PT
dc.title	Performing PET/CT studies: do they create anxiety?	pt_PT
dc.type	conference object
dspace.entity.type	Publication
oaire.citation.conferencePlace	Lisboa	pt_PT
rcaap.rights	openAccess	pt_PT
rcaap.type	conferenceObject	pt_PT