PET/CT

PET stands for Positron Emission Tomography. A PET/CT scanner is an integrated device containing both a CT scanner and a PET scanner with a single patient table. PET images are created after intravenous injection of a tiny amount radioactive glucose called FDG. Glucose is taken up by all cells in the body, but is taken up to a greater degree by tissue with high metabolic activity such as cancer. FDG PET is also useful in the evaluation of certain neurologic conditions in the brain by identifying specific areas of decreased metabolism, and in the heart by evaluating the viability of heart muscle tissue.

CT is a tomographic imaging technique that uses an x-ray beam to produce detailed anatomic images. The anatomic information provided by CT is combined with the metabolic information provided by FDG PET into a single imaging examination. The PET/CT exam is interpreted by a highly skilled radiologist with training and expertise using state-of-the-art computer technologies.

Why do I need a PET/CT Scan?
Your PET/CT exam results may have a major impact on your physician’s diagnosis of a potential health problem--and, should a disease be detected, how your healthcare is managed.

A PET/CT study not only helps your physician diagnose a problem, it also helps predict the likely outcome of various therapeutic alternatives, pinpoint the best approach to treatment, and monitor your progress. If you’re not responding as well as expected, you can be switched to a more effective therapy immediately.

What happens when I get there?
After reviewing your history and prior to the exam, you’ll receive a radiopharmaceutical injection. This is a radioactive tracer that must pass multiple quality control measures before it is used for any patient injection.

For most studies, you’ll have to wait for the tracer to distribute itself--typically 30 minutes to an hour. We will ask you to wait in a quiet, dimly lit room, without stimulating your brain by reading or talking.

What will the PET/CT scans be like?
You’ll lie on a comfortable table that moves slowly through the ring-like PET/CT scanner as it acquires the information it needs to generate diagnostic images. We’ll ask you to lie very still, because movement can interfere with the results.

How long will the exam take?
Your exam procedure will vary depending on what we are looking for and what we discover along the way.


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