POSITRON-EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY SCAN
Introduction
A positron-emission tomography scan (PET scan) is a machine that is used to discover how organs and the brain work. Although it is mainly used to detect cancer, heart problems and brain conditions.
How does it work?
A PET scan uses radiation produced from a radiotracer as it gathers in different parts of the body. Most PET scans use a radiotracer called fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). FDG is similar to that of normal glucose.
By investigating where the radiotracer is built-up or not built-up we can examine abnormalities in the organ. This process allows us to inspect certain organs and their function. It also allows us to detect cancer.
PET scans are often paired with CT scans to increase the images accuracy and the
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In the early days of medical science physicians were forced to open the skull to examine the living brain, this highly invasive procedure would result in death, this is why the search for different options began.
The first major advance was that of the X-Ray machine created and discovered by the German physicist Wilhelm Rontgen in 1895. The technology continued to develop and advance until 2001 when the first PET scanner was invented by Dr. Ron Nutt and Dr. David Townshend. However research that was used to create the PET scanner dates back the early 1950s.
The first PET scanners were rather basic and had few radiation sensors, therefore images that were produced were of a very low quality. As the world’s technological understanding increased so did the machinery used in the PET scanners until they reached the accuracy of today’s scanners.
Effects of the PET Scan
The PET scan has increased our knowledge on the body and its organs. It has helped us understand the functions and uses of each organ whilst it allows us to monitor, detect and view different diseases, most of these being
As with MRI, Computed Tomography can also be used to scan the body from head to toe. The procedures performed in CT can be either invasive or non-invasive and are used to visualize both soft tissues and bone. CT is utilized for both biopsies and drainage studies. This modality uses algorithms to produce scans of the various body parts, which need to be changed when imaging soft tissues versus bone tissue. A CT scan can also produce 360 degree images with just one scan.
FDG-Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is not routinely performed as part of the diagnostic work up for Alzheimer’s disease. Thus, it is not the standard of care to rule in or rule out a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
In both X-rays and CT scans, a form of radiation is emitted and travels through the body, and a detector receives the unabsorbed rays and transmits them to a computer. The physics behind PET scanning is quite different. Basically, a person is injected with a radioactive substance. This substance begins the process of
Different maps are taken of the brain in order to determine if there are any problems with the brain. An electroencephalogram (EEG) is used an amplified read out of the brain waves. A magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI) gives a detailed picture of the brain’s soft tissues. It also shows the structure of the brain. A function magnetic resonance imaging scan or function MRI (fMRI) shows the function of parts of the brain as well as the brain’s structure. It also has the ability to show when a person is lying. Scientists also use a neuroimaging technique called a positron emission tomography scan (PET scan) to view the brain. (Barron’s AP Psychology 6th Edition) The PET scan shows each brain area’s consumption of chemical fuel which is glucose. There is a scale for the PET scan to determine activity in the brain when performing a certain action. The colors range from purple to red, purple represents no activity while red represents very high activity. The PET scan can
The PET scanning is particularly useful in detecting cancer because most cancer cells use more glucose than normal tissues. In lung cancer, pet scans are sometimes used to observe for cancer in particular areas such as the lymph nodes, in the chest or to demonstrate the spreading activity of cancer cells to other areas the body. This would help the doctor to take a further decision about the treatment of a
In the world of medical diagnostic imaging, modern advances in imaging technology allow Health Care Professionals (HCPs) to look inside a person’s body through the development of detailed pictures or scans in order to diagnose disease, trauma, or abnormalities within a patient. Computed Tomography (CT), Plain X-rays (Radiographs) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are three of the exams used by HCPs today. CT and MRI can be interchangeable in many instances and both provide more details than a radiograph. Since that is the case, why don’t HCPs just use CT every time? In order to answer that question HCPs must have a thorough understanding of each modality and weigh the pros and cons of each exam in order to determine which one is best
What would Wilhelm Roentgen, the father of X-ray, say about the technological discoveries in radiology today? Since the start of X-rays in 1895 significant advancements have revolutionized the field of radiology. One illustrates how different scanners have improved, in addition how picture archiving communication system can assist doctors, and finally the outlook on the future of radiology.
There is a great difference between a CAT scan, a PET scan, and an MRI scan. A CAT or CT scan is an acronym for computed tomography scanning. A CAT scan is basically a diagnostic procedure that combines multiple x-rays and computer enhancement to produce three-dimensional images of internal body structures. A PET scan stands for positron emission tomography, which is a procedure that detects or discovers the journey of a radioactive labeled substance, such as glucose through the body. The MRI provides the clearest and most complete images of internal anatomy. The MRI has magnets that respond to hydrogen atoms in the body by sending signals to a computer, which analyzes the information to produce three-dimensional images.
Radiotracers help doctors diagnose and evaluate the degree of severity of the disease. The tracers are injected, swallowed, or inhaled. Special cameras used by the doctor to detect molecular information then detect the emissions from the radiotracers. One of the most important procedures in nuclear medicine is the MRI, or the magnetic resonance
The PET is used when the doctor has to inspect the blood flow, oxygen intake and metabolism of the tissues and organs. PET scan is commonly used to observe the growth of cancer cells, to observe the heart, the brain. PET scan is also able to trace neurological disorders such as Alzheimer and evaluate strokes.3,4
A PET scan does not only look at the size and shape of the brain, is also looks at and assesses the function. Meaning it tells you how the brain is working. There is little doubt that as we age structural changes happen in our brain. A way to test for this is to use neuroimaging techniques while performing certain tasks (i.e. recall or reading of names, etc. to test memory).
The photons are then tracked by a tomographic scintillation counter, and the information is processed by a computer to provide both image and data on blood flow and metabolic processes within bodily tissues. PET scans are particularly useful for diagnosing brain tumor and the effects of strokes on the brain, along with various mental illnesses. They are also used in brain research and in mapping of brain functions.
• A PET (positron emission tomography) scan may help to show cancer activity in some other parts of the body. This can be helpful for “staging” the cancer (see
In nuclear medicine diagnosing techniques, a very small amount of radioactive material is introduced into the body. Because medical isotopes are attracted to specific organs, bones or tissues, the emissions they produce can provide crucial information about a particular type of cancer or disease. Information gathered during a nuclear medicine technique is more comprehensive than other imaging procedures because it describes organ function, not just structure. The result is that many diseases and cancers can be diagnosed much earlier.
Modern medicine has undergone major advancements over the past years. One of these developments include the capacity to retrieve crucial information about the human body and its health beyond the use of manual diagnostic techniques. This is referred to as Medical or Diagnostic Imaging.