Positron emission tomography
An advantage of a PETscan is that itcan show how well certain parts of your body are working, rather that showing what it looks like.
They'reparticularlyhelpful for investigating confirmed cases of cancer , to determine how far the cancer has spread and how well it's responding to treatment.
Sometimes PET scans are used to help planoperations, such as a coronary artery bypass graft or brain surgery for epilepsy . They can also help diagnose some conditions that affect the normal workings of the brain, such as dementia .
Positron emission tomography (PET) scans are used to produce detailed three-dimensional images of the inside of the body.
An advantage of a PETscan is that itcan show how well certain parts of your body are working, rather that showing what it looks like. They'reparticularlyhelpful for investigating confirmed cases of c
PET scanners work by detecting the radiation given off by a substance called a radiotracer as it collects in different parts of your body. In most PET scans a radiotracer called fluorodeoxyglucose (
PET scans are usually carried out on an outpatient basis. This means you won't need to stay in hospital overnight. It's important to arrive on time for your scan, as theradiotracer used has a short s
Any exposure to radiation carries a very small risk of potential tissue damage that couldlead tocancer at a later date. However, in a standard PET scan the amount of radiation you're exposed to issma