PET Scan or PET-CT Scan

A PET scan, short for Positron Emission Tomography, involves the use of a radioactive "tracer" that is injected into the body. This tracer accumulates in organs and tissues over the course of approximately an hour. The PET scan then detects the presence of the tracer in the body and uses this information to assess the functioning of organs and tissues. Since PET scans can identify changes at the cellular level, they are capable of detecting diseases before they become evident on other imaging tests. PET scans are commonly employed for the detection of cancer, heart conditions, brain disorders, and central nervous system abnormalities. PET scans are often combined with CT scans so that only one exam has to be performed.