What Is a PET Scan? Consultant Radiographer Services Tyldesley

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scans use radioactive tracers to show the workings of bodily tissues. This gives much more information than scans such as MRI or X-rays that simply reveal the structure.

PET Scans are painless and can be done on an out-patient basis, and you will be allowed home the same day. There are very few risks or side effects to the scan process and the results can be very useful in tracking the progress of a disease and planning treatment. However, since the scanning equipment (and each individual scan) is very expensive there is limited availability within the UK.

Why would you have a PET Scan? 

PET Scans are primarily used in the diagnosis of cancer. They can be used to detect:

• The presence of cancer
• What stage the cancer is at
• The extent to which cancer has spread
• The progress of treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy

PET Scans can also help determine whether a lump or scar tissue is cancerous or not.

Because they show the workings of the body, as well as the structure, PET Scans can also be used to analyse:

• Damage to heart muscle after a heart attack
• Blood flow to the heart and any blockages
• Brain tumours and problems with the nervous system
• Epilepsy and other seizures
• Alzheimer’s Disease

The results of a PET Scan can help your consultant assess the extent of damage or disease, as well as precisely identify the location of the problem, helping him or her decide the best course of treatment...

Profile of the author: This article is written by Jackie Griffiths, a freelance journalist who writes health, medical, biological, and pharmaceutical articles for national and international journals, newsletters and web sites.

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