Assessment of Whether Patients’ Knowledge, Satisfaction, and Experience Regarding Their 18F-Fluoride PET/CT Examination Affects Image Quality

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate patients’ previous knowledge, satisfaction, and experience regarding an 18F-fluoride PET/CT examination and to explore whether any discomfort or pain during the examination was associated with reduced image quality. A further aim was to explore whether patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was associated with their satisfaction and experience regarding the examination. Methods: Between November 2011 and April 2013, 50 consecutive patients with a histopathologic diagnosis of prostate cancer who were scheduled for 18F-fluoride PET/CT were asked to participate in the study. A questionnaire was used to collect information on the patients’ previous knowledge and experience regarding the examination. Image quality was assessed according to an arbitrary scale. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ-C30) and the prostate cancer–specific module (QLQ-PR25) were used to assess HRQoL. Results: Forty-six patients (96%) completed the questionnaire. Twenty-six percent did not at all know what a 18F-fluoride PET/CT examination was. Most (52%–70%) were satisfied to a very high degree with the care provided by the nursing staff but were less satisfied with the information given before the examination. Image quality was similar between patients who were exhausted or claustrophobic during the examination and those who were not. No correlations between HRQoL and the patients’ experience regarding 18F-fluoride PET/CT were found. Conclusion: Most patients were satisfied with the care provided by the nursing staff, but there is still room for improvement, especially regarding the information provided before the examination. A long examination time may be strenuous for the patient, but there was no difference in image quality between patients who felt discomfort or pain during the examination and those who did not.