Pet Scanners

Do you know what a Pet Scanner is? Good for you if you do. I didn't have a clue though. I had to show-up this morning at 10 am for a Pet Scan. Initially I thought I had to take my pets with me... (just jokin'). Anyways, it seems that the Scanner is a sensor that picks-up radioactive radiation that is emitted by parts of the body where high activity levels are being observed (tumors among other). With PET Scans doctors can identify hidden from other Scans (CT or Ultra-Sound) pockets of malignant activity and further help define the course of a cancer therapy. What the heck do I know?

Anyways, I was prepared for the worst, having undergone a CT Scan earlier in the week. In CT scans they make you drink an aperitif (tastes like ouzo low solution), an entire liter of the darn thing, and then inject some colorant in your blood that makes your arteries larger (?) - so they told me. That's not too bad and no physical pain involved. But then, a bit uncomfortable for non-gay men, you get some nurse pumping air in your thick bowel sticking a pump outlet pipe up your ars! Still not much of a serious physical pain other than the associated embarrassment.

None of this with PETs though. You are even scanned with a Four-Seasons bath robe on. No physical pains other than getting claustrophobic moving up and down the scanner ring. So be it.

I used to be death terrified with those things before. The experience proved to be just trivial. In both cases. CTs and PETs. Only problem, I couldn't get close to pregnant women and young children for a few hours afterwards. In my age, I wouldn't even know why should I!