Your Appointment

Nuclear medicine imaging involves sophisticated technology and time-sensitive radiopharmaceuticals that require careful coordination. To help you understand what to expect and ensure the best possible experience, we’ve outlined important information about our quality procedures, appointment timing, and policies below.

Daily Quality Control Procedures

Ensuring Reliable Results

We perform comprehensive quality control procedures on all scanning equipment daily to ensure:

• Proper functioning of the equipment during your scan
• Interpretable and reliable results
• Optimal image quality for accurate diagnosis

Rare Equipment Issues

Whilst equipment faults are very infrequent, they can occasionally occur and may result in:

• Your scan needing to be repeated on the same day
• In worst-case scenarios, rescheduling your appointment
• Our Commitment: If scan data is uninterpretable due to equipment failure, you will not be charged for the failed study—only for the rescheduled examination. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Appointment Timing & Radiopharmaceutical Preparation

Critical Timing Requirements

Your radiopharmaceutical injection is prepared specifically for your appointment time. Please arrive punctually as:

• Late arrival can render your injection unusable
• You remain financially responsible for unusable injections due to late arrival
• Radiopharmaceuticals have very short shelf lives and cannot be stored

National Radiopharmaceutical Supply Production Dependencies

TheraMed Nuclear, like all PET-CT facilities in South Africa, depends on two national suppliers for radiotracer production.

• Radiopharmaceuticals are produced daily
• Release is subject to strict quality control measures
• Production is regulated by our national radiation control authority

Rare Production Failures

Occasionally, production runs may fail, resulting in:

• Last-minute appointment rescheduling
• No alternative suppliers available (affects all PET-CT practices nationally)
• Situations completely beyond our control

We understand this can be frustrating and apologise for any inconvenience caused by these rare but unavoidable circumstances.

Cancellation Policy

24-Hour Minimum Notice Required!

Appointment cancellations must be made at least 24 hours in advance because:

• Each radiotracer is produced specifically for individual patients
• Supplier notification must occur 24 hours before production
• Production schedules cannot be altered at short notice

Financial Responsibility

Once your appointment is confirmed and the radiopharmaceutical order is placed:

• You become wholly responsible for payment of the radiopharmaceutical
• This applies regardless of whether you attend the scan
• Radiopharmaceuticals cannot be used for other patients due to their patient-specific preparation

Planning Your Visit

To Ensure a Smooth Experience:

• Arrive on time for your scheduled appointment
• Provide 24+ hours notice for any cancellations
• Understand that rare technical or supply issues may occasionally require rescheduling
• Keep our contact details handy in case we need to reach you urgently

Contact Us

If you have questions about scheduling, quality control procedures, or need to discuss your appointment, please contact our office. We’re committed to providing you with the highest quality service whilst maintaining transparency about the complex logistics involved in nuclear medicine imaging.

We appreciate your understanding of these important operational requirements that ensure safe, reliable, and high-quality PET-CT imaging services.