Cancer Patient Experience in a Nuclear Medicine Department: Comparison Between Bone Scintigraphy and 18F-FDG PET/CT

Article Figures & Data

TABLE 1

Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics of Cancer Patients Included in Sample

	^99mTc-HDP BS				¹⁸F FDG PET/CT
Variable	n	Min	Max	Mean ± SD	n	Min	Max	Mean ± SD	P
Sex
Female	27 (64.3%)				24 (46.2%)				0.079^*
Male	15 (35.7%)				28 (53.8%)
Age		40	84	62.33 ± 11.9		29	85	59.2 ± 14.4	0.270^†
Educational qualification
None	0 (0%)				1 (1.9%)				0.788^‡ (95% CI, 0.780–0.796)
Compulsory education	15 (35.7%)				19 (36.5%)
Professional technical school	9 (21.4%)				14 (26.9%)
Bachelor degree	15 (35.7%)				13 (25.0%)
Masters	3 (7.1%)				5 (9.6%)
First time undergoing this exam
No	9 (21.4%)				13 (25.0%)				0.684^*
Yes	33 (78.6%)				39 (75.0%)
Classification of previous exam		1	6	3.4 ± 1.6		1	7	3.2 ± 1.8	0.583^¶
Reason to perform exam
Initial staging of cancer	33 (78.6%)				31 (59.6%)				0.319^‡ (95% CI, 0.309–0.328)
Treatment results	2 (4.8%)				8 (15.4%)
Assessment of recurrence	5 (11.9%)				5 (9.6%)
Unknown	4 (9.6%)				5 (9.6%)

TABLE 2

STAI-S Scores Before and After Scanning in Both Groups

TABLE 3

Descriptive Measurements of Patients’ Concerns About NM Exam and Correlations with STAI-S Before Scanning

	^99mTc-HDP BS				¹⁸F FDG PET/CT
Concern	Mean ± SD	Min	Max	Correlation	Mean ± SD	Min	Max	Correlation
Radiation involved	3.33 ± 1.76	1	7	0.182	3.027 ± 2.05	1	7	0.352^*
Not knowing purpose of exam	2.85 ± 1.84	1	7	−0.073	2.257 ± 1.69	1	7	0.035
Immobilization or positioning	2.53 ± 1.95	1	7	0.084	2.88 ± 2.13	1	7	0.263
Exam result (diagnostic)	2.85 ± 1.96	1	7	0.065	5.40 ± 1.80	1	7	0.306^*
Duration of scan	5.34 ± 2.08	1	7	−0.043	3.64 ± 2.06	1	7	0.399^†
Discomfort or pain during scan	3.49 ± 1.90	1	7	−0.026	2.92 ± 1.95	1	7	0.217
Lack of knowledge about scan	3.24 ± 2.17	1	7	0.070	2.96 ± 2.06	1	7	0.122
Body exposure during scan	3.17 ± 1.99	1	7	0.338^*	3.04 ± 2.10	1	7	0.328^*
Injection of radiopharmaceutical	2.55 ± 1.76	1	7	0.016	3.58 ± 2.09	1	7	0.341^*

TABLE 4

Patients’ Appraisal of Information Provided Before Scanning, and Correlations with STAI-S Before Scanning

	^99mTc-HDP BS				¹⁸F FDG PET/CT
Appraisal	Mean ± SD	Min	Max	Correlation	Mean ± SD	Min	Max	Correlation
Procedure information
On day of scan
Comprehensible	6.00 ± 1.26	3	7	0.579	5.69 ± 1.26	2	7	−0.386^*
Useful	5.65 ± 1.43	2	7	0.709^*	5.82 ± 1.50	1	7	−0.144
On day before scan
Suitable	6.20 ± 1.08	4	7	0.520	6.14 ± 1.03	4	7	−0.237
Useful	6.13 ± 1.36	1	7	0.404	6.10 ± 1.24	1	7	−0.162
NM department	6.85 ± 0.95	1	7	—	6.80 ± 0.63	4	7	−0.52
Treated with dignity and respect
Satisfied	6.68 ± 1.23	1	7	—	6.53 ± 1.30	1	7	0.227

TABLE 5

Correlation of Patients’ Overall Satisfaction with Information Provided on Day of Scanning and Day Before Scanning

	Procedure information
	Day before scan		NM department
Group	Day of scan (utility)	Suitable	Useful	Treated with dignity and respect	Satisfied
^99mTc-HDP BS
Procedure information
Day of scan
Comprehensible	0.831^*	0.504^*	0.497^*	0.164	00.655^*
Useful		0.633^*	0.581^*	0.093	00.696^*
Day before scan
Suitable			0.944^*	0.197	0.457^*
Useful				0.189	0.483^*
NM department (treated with dignity and respect)					0.520^*
PET/CT
Procedure information
Day of scan
Comprehensible	0.847^*	0.296	0.155	0.430^*	00.369^*
Useful		0.444^*	0.270	0.122	00.349^†
Day before scan			0.547^*	−0.136	−0.224
Suitable				−0.139	−0.218
Useful
NM department (treated with dignity and respect)					0.650^*

TABLE 6

Model of Multiple Regression Analysis to Identify Patients’ Anxiety Regressors Before Scanning