POSITRON EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY (PET)/COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY (CT)
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a non-invasive, diagnostic imaging technique for measuring the metabolic activity of cells in the human body. It is useful clinically in patients with certain conditions affecting the brain and the heart, as well as in patients with certain types of cancer. The agent used for this exam is FDG or Flourine-18 Deoxyglucose.
The newest technology in PET scanning is the addition of Computed Tomography (CT) to the PET scan. Computed Tomography provides the reading physician with an accurate structural map of the body. Using the structural map from CT and overlaying the PET images, the reading physician can now determine the exact location of abnormal uptake.