PET Scan Flashcards
What is the patient injection with
A positron emitting radiotracer with a short half life
Why is the patient left for a short time
To allow for the radiotracer to move through the body
How are high energy gamma rays emitted
Positrons in the radioisotope collide with electrons in the organs causing them to annihilate
How are the rays recorded
Detectris ariund the body allow a computer to produce a map of a ‘slice’ through the patients head showing concentration of radio tracer
What is the main advantage of PET scans
The distribution of radioactriveity matches up with metabilc activity. Cells with increased metabolism use more of the radioactive glucose injected into the patienet.
What can PET scans be used to detect and investigate?
Brain activity and malignancy of tumors
Disadvantages of PET scans
Ionizing radiation used, long time for scans, claustrophobic conditions. The machine is large and expensive.
