What is the definition or description of: pet scan?

3D Functional Image: Three-dimensional image of functional processes in the body. The scan is acquired after the administration of a radiotracer. Most commonly done with fdg, an analogue of glucose, creating a metabolic image of glucose consumption by body tissues. Pet scans are very sensitive and use to detect cancer, infection, heart and cognitive disorders.

Cell metabolism: Pet is positron emission tomography. Radioactive agents are injected into the body that are taken up by cells as they metabolize. Abnormal cells in tumors will take up more agent and in a manner that helps to define just have bad the tumor is. During treatment, the pet will help document effect on the tumor cells and improvement in normal function. Pet by definition is whole body.

Physiology of lesion: Pet scans most often use a radioactive form of glucose, the energy source for most of the cells in our bodies. The pet scanner can detect and measure how much of the radioactive glucose analog, f-18 fdg, is in a particular organ or region. The areas using more glucose are hyper metabolic and generally more worrisome. Our brains and sometimes hearts prefer glucose as food, making it hard to see.