Your doctor may refer you for an Amyloid PET scan if you are experiencing symptoms such as memory loss, cognitive decline, difficulty with thinking, planning or problem-solving, or changes in behaviour or personality.

The examination may help:

• Investigate whether beta-amyloid plaque deposition is present in the brain.
• Support the assessment and diagnosis of possible Alzheimer's disease.
• Distinguish Alzheimer's disease from other causes of cognitive impairment or dementia.
• Improve diagnostic confidence when the cause of symptoms is unclear.
• Assist with treatment planning, including assessing your eligibility for certain anti-amyloid therapies.

Preparation requirements may vary slightly between clinics. Generally, continue taking your usual medications unless instructed otherwise, drink plenty of water before your appointment, wear comfortable clothing, and inform staff if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. 
 
Unlike some other PET scans, fasting is often not required. Your imaging provider will provide specific instructions before your appointment. 

• After receiving the referral from your Doctor, I-MED staff will contact you to make an appointment. All details of the appointment will be discussed with you, including any payment arrangements. 
• Upon arriving in the PET Department, a Technologist will explain the test to you and go through a questionnaire with you. 
• An intravenous cannula will be placed into a vein in your arm, and the injection will be administered. The tracer is generally very well tolerated, and side effects are uncommon. Rare allergic or injection-related reactions have been reported. 
• The tracer circulates through the body and binds to areas containing beta-amyloid plaques, allowing these areas to be visualised on PET imaging. The FBB injection remains in brain tissue which contains amyloid deposits.  
• The cannula is removed and you are free to leave for approximately 90 minutes. The Technologist will give you an exact time of when to return for the scan. You can also eat and drink during this time as there are no restrictions. 
• You will be taken into the PET scan room and asked to lie down on the scanning bed. The scan will take 20 minutes. All you need to do is lie still and breathe normally. 
• When the scan is complete, you can go home. There are no restrictions: continue to do everything as normal. 
• The referring Doctor will have the results within 2 business days. 

The brain scan itself takes approximately 15 to 20 minutes. However, due to the 90-minute tracer uptake period and initial preparation, your total time at the clinic will be between 1.5 and 2 hours. You must lie still and breathe normally during the scan to ensure clear images.

Benefits include detection of amyloid plaque accumulation in the brain, additional information to support dementia assessment, improved diagnostic confidence, assistance in distinguishing Alzheimer's disease from other causes of cognitive decline, and support for treatment and management decisions. 

The examination is performed by nuclear medicine technologists, PET imaging specialists, radiographers, nuclear medicine physicians, and radiologists. Images are interpreted by a specialist doctor experienced in PET imaging and brain disorders. 

Amyloid PET scans are generally considered very safe. Potential risks include exposure to a small amount of ionising radiation, minor discomfort from IV cannula insertion and rare allergic reactions to the tracer. 

Most people experience no side effects and can return to normal activities immediately. Patients are usually encouraged to drink fluids and empty their bladder regularly to assist elimination of the tracer.

A specialist nuclear medicine physician or radiologist will review your images and prepare a report. The report is sent to the doctor who referred you for the examination, who will discuss the results with you. 

 A positive Amyloid PET scan indicates the presence of beta-amyloid plaques in the brain but does not, by itself, establish a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Results should always be interpreted alongside clinical assessment, cognitive testing and other imaging findings.