PET/CT examination for patients from Luxembourg
Comprehensive diagnostics through full body scan
Patients in Luxembourg often face challenges when it comes to accessing specialized diagnostics such as PET/CT scans. Long waiting times, limited availability of advanced imaging, and restricted access to certain cutting-edge procedures can delay timely diagnosis. Especially in cases of serious conditions like cancer or neurological disorders, time is a critical factor. As a result, many patients look for faster alternatives to receive accurate diagnoses and personalized treatment—ideally without additional financial burden.
Treatment in Germany may be possible for patients insured with the National Health Fund of Luxembourg (CNS) if there are medical reasons or if the waiting time in Luxembourg is too long. With a medical justification, authorization can be requested from the CNS so that the treatment can be carried out in another EU country and covered by health insurance. Through this procedure, patients from Luxembourg can receive examinations or treatments at Medizin Center Bonn and gain faster access to specialized diagnostics and medical services in Germany.
Please note that communication at Medizin Center Bonn is provided in German and English. For further information, please contact us by phone at +49 (0)228 90 81 100, by email at info@mcbonn.de, or conveniently via the contact form using the button below.
What is a PET/CT examination?
A PET/CT examination combines functional imaging from positron emission tomography (PET) with detailed anatomical cross-sectional images from computed tomography (CT). This allows changes within the body not only to be detected, but also to be accurately localized.
PET/CT is a whole-body imaging method, which is especially valuable in oncology. It enables both primary tumors and distant metastases to be identified and assessed in a single scan. One of its key advantages is the ability to visualize even very small lesions with high clarity.
Beyond oncology, PET/CT is also widely used in the evaluation of neurological conditions. It helps identify both structural and functional changes in the brain and has proven particularly effective in the diagnosis of diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Duration of Examination
Approx. 4 hours
Areas of application
Oncology & Neurology
Health insurance benefit
Coverage by National Health Fund of Luxembourg (CNS)
Examination procedure
Although a PET/CT examination takes an average of 25 minutes, you should allow about 4 hours for your stay with us. In the following pages, we would like to give you an overview of the examination procedure. In the case of prostate carcinoma and in other individual cases, however, there may be deviations in the procedure.
PET/CT is used in all phases of cancer diagnostics (oncology):
- Early detection
- Search for the primary cancer site
- Characterization and staging of the disease
- Therapy control of chemotherapy or radiotherapy
- Follow-up care after cancer therapy to detect relapses (recurrence diagnostics)
PET/CT is used especially for neurological diseases. Among other things, special tracers (e.g., Florbetaben) are used to detect plaques in the brain characteristic to Alzheimer’s disease with dementia.
PET/CT examinations also have high diagnostic value in answering other neurological questions such as the differentiation between depression and dementia or in degenerative multisystem diseases.
You must have an empty stomach in order for the PET/CT exam to be performed correctly.
To ensure a clear image, you must remove jewelry and other metal objects, such as clothing containing metal (e.g., buttons) or belts, before the examination. If necessary, please make sure that clothing and shoes can be easily taken off and put back on.
Patients insured with the National Health Fund of Luxembourg (CNS) may be reimbursed for radiological examinations in Germany under certain conditions.
If authorization from the CNS is obtained before the treatment, the costs are usually covered in the same way as for treatment in the home country, meaning that patients generally only have to pay any applicable statutory co-payments.
PET/CT at a glance
The first PET/CT arrived in our country in 2003 as the first device in all of Europe. Although the method provides an important tool for oncology and neurology, even today, only a few medical institutions offer PET/CT examinations.
The weak radioactively labeled tracer injected for the examination increasingly metabolizes and accumulates accordingly in tumors and areas of inflammation. PET can then visually display the increased glucose metabolism.
Meanwhile, computed tomography is a special X-ray procedure that uses computers to convert different absorptions of X-rays in the body into anatomically correct cross-sectional images. Fusing the PET and CT images provides precise anatomical assignment of activities detected by the PET examination.
Our device
Since January 2021, we have been working with the Siemens Biograph Vision 450, a second-generation digital PET/CT with a 128-Slice CT (Edge), that uses innovative technology and a new design of LSO crystal detectors to enable higher-resolution and more precise imaging, while shortening the examination time and reducing patient radiation exposure. Wider than average with a diameter of 78cm and typically short at a length of only 136cm, the gantry (tube) facilitates a flexible and comfortable patient position. Together with the short examination times, these measurements ensure exceptional patient comfort.
Arrival of the Biograph Vision 450 at MCB
VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZMivTQCVZQ
