LONDON: Former prime minister and PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif underwent a PET scan which was recommended by doctors in London who are getting close to diagnosing the medical condition behind his declining health.

His personal physician, Dr Adnan Khan, tweeted on Thursday afternoon that Mr Sharif underwent a scan at the London Bridge Hospital under the care of haematology at Guy’s Cancer Centre.

“It’s one of the key investigations to establish [the] cause of severe thrombocytopenia,” Dr Khan said.

Last week, the doctor had said the PET scan will give a clearer picture of the reasons behind Mr Sharif’s low platelet count, and that once this is determined, the ailing politician will under­go a cardiac procedure.

A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is an imaging test that allows doctors to check for diseases through a three-dimensional scan of the body. The scan uses a special dye containing radioactive tracers which are swallowed, inhaled, or injected into the part of the body being examined.

Doctors may order a PET scan to inspect blood flow, oxygen intake, or the metabolism of organs and tissues. While PET scans are most commonly used to detect cancer, they are also recommended by doctors to determine if there is inflammation in the body tissue.

A day earlier, his son Hussain Nawaz had expressed concern about the results of Mr Sharif’s bone marrow tests, which, together with the PET scan results, will aid doctors in planning a course of treatment.

Although Nawaz Sharif is undergoing a series of medical tests in London, the Sharif family has not yet ruled out taking him to the United States for treatment. A day earlier, Hussain told reporters of his desire to have his father treated at a specialist hospital in the US, but added that it is premature to make a decision before British doctors reach a conclusion.

Nawaz Sharif arrived in London on Nov 19 along with his brother Shahbaz Sharif after the government and courts granted him permission to travel abroad on medical grounds. Mr Sharif and members of his family have consulted with several doctors, including those who specialise in cardiac issues and immune disorders. He arrived in London three weeks after he was granted bail by the Islamabad High Court in the Al-Azizia case on medical grounds.

He was joined by his sons Hussein and Hasan Nawaz as well as his daughter Asma Nawaz and son-in-law Ali Dar.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2019