A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is an imaging test that allows doctors to check for disease in your body.
Why PET scans are used. An advantage of a PET scan is that it can show how well certain parts of your body are working, rather that showing what it looks like. They're particularly helpful for investigating confirmed cases of cancer, to determine how far the cancer has spread and how well it's responding to treatment. A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is an imaging test that allows doctors to check for disease in your body. The scan uses radioactive tracers in a special dye. These tracers are injected into a vein in your arm and are then absorbed by your organs and tissues. Why a PET Scan Is Performed. Your doctor may order a PET scan to inspect the blood flow, oxygen intake, and metabolism of your organs and tissues. PET scans are most commonly used to detect cancer, heart problems, brain disorders, and problems with the central nervous system. (Cleveland Clinic). PET scans of the brain for Alzheimer's disease. A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is an imaging test that helps reveal how your tissues and organs are functioning. A PET scan uses a radioactive drug (tracer) to show this activity.  Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography (PET/CT). Positron emission tomography (PET) uses small amounts of radioactive materials called radiotracers, a special camera and a computer to help evaluate your organ and tissue functions. By identifying body changes at the cellular level, PET may detect the early onset of disease before it is evident on other imaging tests. PET and PET/CT scans are performed to: 1  detect cancer. 2  determine whether a cancer has spread in the body. 3  assess the effectiveness of a treatment plan, such as cancer therapy. 4  determine if a cancer has returned after treatment. 5  determine blood flow to the heart muscle. A PET scan uses radiation, or nuclear medicine imaging, to produce 3-dimensional, color images of the functional processes within the human body. PET stands for positron emission tomography. More detail and supporting information is in the main article. 1  A PET scan uses radiation to create 3-dimensional, color images of the functional processes in the human body. 2  PET is an acronym Positron emission tomography (PET or PET scan) is a specialized radiology procedure used to examine various body tissues to identify certain conditions. PET may also be used to follow the progress of the treatment of certain conditions.  A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is a unique type of imaging test that helps doctors see how the organs and tissues inside your body are actually functioning. The test involves injecting a very small dose of a radioactive chemical, called a radiotracer, into the vein of your arm.  Positron emission tomography (PET) is a nuclear medicine, functional imaging technique that produces a three-dimensional image of functional processes in the body.  The PET scan is able to measure blood flow, oxygen use, glucose metabolism (how your body uses sugar), and much more. A PET scan is typically an outpatient procedure, meaning that you will be able to go about your day after the test is complete. Why a PET Scan Is Performed. Your doctor may order a PET scan to inspect the blood flow, oxygen intake, and metabolism of your organs and tissues. PET scans are most commonly used to detect cancer, heart problems, brain disorders, and problems with the central nervous system. (Cleveland Clinic). A PET scan can show how body tissues are working, as well as what they look like. It can help to diagnose and stage a cancer. This helps your doctor decide which treatment you need and whether your treatment is working. A PET scan can also sometimes tell if an area in the body is scar tissue or an active cancer. A PET scan can help to. 1  Show up a cancer. 2  Find out the stage of a cancer. 3  Show whether a lump is cancer or not. 4  Show whether a cancer has spread to other parts of the body. 5  Decide the best treatment for your cancer. 6  Show how well cancer drug
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/PET-scan/Pages/Introduction.aspx http://www.healthline.com/health/pet-scan http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/pet-scan/basics/definition/prc-20014301 http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?PG=pet http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154877.php http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/healthlibrary/test_procedures/neurological/positron_emission_tomography_pet_scan_92,P07654/ http://my.clevelandclinic.org/services/imaging-institute/imaging-services/hic-pet-scan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positron_emission_tomography http://www.healthline.com/health/pet-scan http://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancers-in-general/tests/pet-scan
what is pet scan