PET Scan Research Paper

For this procedure, a small amount of a radioactive substance (radiotracer) is injected into your blood. Your bones will absorb the radiotracer for a short time. The radiotracer gives off radioactive energy. This energy can be captured by a type of camera that makes images of your bones (scintigrams). Abnormal bones will take up too much or too little of the radiotracer. This will show up in the images.

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.

PET is the only method that can detect and display metabolic changes in tissue, distinguish normal tissue from those that are diseased, such as in cancer, differentiate viable from dead or dying tissue, show regional blood flow, and determine the distribution and

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

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.

The PET scan also will show two and three-dimensional images of the brain; however, the PET scan measures brain activity. This is done by injecting radioactive isotopes into the blood stream. The isotopes attach to

Veterinarians often use diagnostic imaging to help get a look at an animal from the inside. Radiological imaging is one of the greatest devices for veterinarians especially in circumstances such as broken bones, tumors, unusual symptoms, and complications. In such settings a veterinary radiologist skilled in taking and reading radiographic image can assist with diagnosis and treatment. Specifically, osteosarcoma which is the most common bone tumor found in dogs.

Before the PET scan the patient is given an injection containing a small amount of FDG. The patient then must sit quietly for about 60 minutes. During this time they must sit and relax. They are not get up and walk around, talk, read or do anything else that would require them to

PET: Position-emission tomography... Based on metabolic changes in the brain related to activity. Measures amount of glucose in various areas.

Fused PET/CT is a recently developed technology that couples the functional information of PET with the anatomic details of CT (8).

PET Scan- A PET [positron emission tomography] scan is only had at major hospitals. It is most commonly carried out on patients with lung cancer were a biopsy wasn 't possible/inconclusive. Before having this scan you will be injected with a radioactive glucose solution, which takes roughly about 30-90 minutes to spread around the body, and once it spread the scan can commence. Its scans for hot spots in the body where active cells located, such as cancer cells. Although all activity doesn 't necessarily mean there are cancer cells that 's why you must have a specialist to examine the PET scan.

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

The MRI scanner beside having magnetic fields it also creates radio waves that are sent from the scanner to into your body. Usually your local hospital where you will be attending should give you information about how they use this scanner and what is it required for you to

A computed tomography scan provides more detail images than a chest x-ray by creating cross sectional images, this images can help identify enlarge organs or lymph nodes in the neck, chest, abdomen and chest (American Cancer Society). During this test the patient is lays on a flat table that moves in and out of a donut shaped scanner that takes images in different angles. Sometimes contrast medium may be used to highlight abnormal areas in the body. If contrast medium is used, it is the nurse’s responsibility to establish a patent IV, check for iodine allergies, check for kidney function due to contrast nephrotoxicity, check for delay allergies after the procedure, and advise the patient to drink plenty of fluids to eliminate contrast (Leeuwen, Anne 2015). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is only used when spread to the spinal cord and brain are suspected (American Cancer Society). Positron emission tomography (PET) scan uses an IV contrast called fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), this contrast is a form of glucose, and because cancer cells reproduce quickly they need more glucose, which is why this contrast highlights the areas where abnormal cells are (Cancer Society). PET scans can be used to monitor how well patients are responding to treatment therapies, they can help identify areas of the body with lymphoma that may appear clear in other tests such as biopsies or CT scans allowing patients to

CT scan is a computerized tomography, it is when slices of images are put together to make up a three-dimensional image of the body produced using an advanced x-ray. It is used to diagnose medical diseases. It has improved widely to provide comfort to patients as the scan can be done quickly. It displays high-resolution images assisting doctors to make diagnosis. For example, the CT scan can help doctors to visualize small nodules or tumors, which they cannot see with a plain film X-ray.