A PET technologist usually begins each procedure by explaining the process to the patient, emphasizing the minimal quantities of radiation involved and the large safety margin built into the procedure. The patient reclines on a table during the test and is passed through a doughnut-shaped scanner that detects positron emissions from the radioactive drugs. The machine creates an image that shows a "map" of the body's tissues, with the areas of heavier and lighter radioactivity marked in different colors. Superimposing the PET image over a CT or MRI image makes it even more useful, combining information on the tissues' appearance and function in a single image. Most modern machines combine PET and CT scanning.

The Patient Care Technician (PCT) is responsible for performing non-professional patient care delivery by assisting the nursing personnel in a variety of routine procedures and tasks that are necessary according to the established policies of the department of West Jefferson Medical Center.