Question

The nurse prepares a client diagnosed with epilepsy for a positron emission tomography (PET) scan. Which direction to the client is most important for the nurse to include?

1. "Be prepared to feel a warm sensation when the dye is injected."
2. "You will want to empty your bladder before the test."
3. "Be sure to remove all your jewelry before you enter the testing area."
4. "You will be asked to think in different ways during the test."

Answer 1

For a PET scan, the most important instruction for a client with epilepsy is that they will be asked to think in different ways during the test to map active brain regions.

Step-by-step explanation:

When preparing a client diagnosed with epilepsy for a positron emission tomography (PET) scan, the most important direction the nurse should include is option 4: "You will be asked to think in different ways during the test." This is because PET scans require the patient to engage in various activities or forms of thinking to accurately monitor and map brain activity. Since the tracer used in a PET scan highlights areas of the brain that become active during these tasks, it is essential for the client to know that their cognitive engagement will be part of the procedure. This is of particular note because unlike other scans which may be simply looking at structure, PET scans are assessing function as well, which provides insights into how the brain works during different cognitive processes.