 |
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) creates a three dimensional metabolic view of the entire body measuring chemical changes that occur before visible signs of disease are present. Conventional imaging techniques such as X-ray, CT and MRI show anatomy unlike PET which shows the internal chemistry of the body. Chemical and metabolic changes in cancer occur long before anatomic or structural changes occur. Compounds normally existing in the body, like simple sugars, are labeled with radioactive tracers, which emit signals. The scanner records the signals that the tracer emits as it journeys through the body and as it collects in targeted organs.
PET is a safe method of imaging that can determine if a tumor is cancerous, the best location to biopsy, determine if a cancer has spread, and differentiate between radiation scar tissue from new tumor growth. Fewer diagnostic and fewer surgical procedures need to be done when PET is used in the diagnostic and surgical work up of patients with primary and recurrent carcinoma helping to reduce overall health care costs. Because of the earlier more accurate diagnosis doctors can immediately begin the most successful approach which will lead to better treatment and better outcomes.
PET can also assess the extent of heart damage to determine the candidates most suitable for coronary bypass and predict the success of the surgery. In Neurology, PET plays a vital non-invasive role to assess patients with refractory epilepsy and provides the earliest diagnosis of diseases such as Alzheimer's Dementia.
If your doctor recommends a PET scan... Insist on a PET/CT scan
All these benefits of PET are enhanced by concurrently acquiring a CT scan during the procedure. The CT's usefulness in this process is two-fold; for the attenuation correction of the PET images, and for spatial localization of the PET data.
When the PET/CT is complete, our specially accredited Radiologists will look at the PET data on it own, the CT data on its own, and an actual Fusion of the PET data and the CT data! This process greatly enhances the localization of lesions relative to highly detailed anatomial images.
Without question PET/CT is the gold standard compared to PET imaging alone. Don't settle for just a PET scan any longer.
You can now have a PET/CT scan right here in our Scranton office!