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PET ScanWhat Is a PET/CT Scan?In one continuous full-body scan (usually about 30 minutes), PET captures images of miniscule changes in the body's metabolism caused by the growth of abnormal cells, while CT images simultaneously allow physicians to pinpoint the exact location, size and shape of the diseased tissue or tumor. Essentially, small lesions or tumors are detected with PET and then precisely located with CT. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Computerized Tomography (CT) are both standard imaging tools that allow physicians to pinpoint the location of cancer within the body before making treatment recommendations. The highly sensitive PET scan detects the metabolic signal of actively growing cancer cells in the body and the CT scan provides a detailed picture of the internal anatomy that reveals the location, size and shape of abnormal cancerous growths. Alone, each imaging test has particular benefits and limitations but when the results of PET and CT scans are "fused" together, the combined image provides complete information on cancer location and metabolism. The bottom line is that you can have both scans - PET and CT - done at the same time. What Does PET/CT See?
PET/CT scanning integrates PET and CT technologies into a single device, making it possible to obtain both anatomical and biological data during a single exam. This integrated approach permits accurate tumor detection, localization, and staging for a variety of cancers, including:
PET/CT is also used to evaluate overall brain volume and patterns of cortical atrophy in cases of dementia. Occasionally, PET/CT can aid in the localization and detection of an abnormal metabolic focus in the brain which may be the cause of seizures.
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