What exactly is a PET Scan?

The primary benefit of a PET scan over an MRI or X-ray is that it can reveal how a region of the patient’s body functions rather than just how it looks. This aspect of PET scans is extremely useful to medical researchers.

PET scans are commonly used to investigate the following conditions:

• Epilepsy – it can reveal which part of the patient’s brain is being affected by epilepsy. This assists doctors in determining the best treatments. Following a first seizure, MRI and/or CT scans are recommended. this study explains.
• Alzheimer’s disease – it is very useful in helping the doctor diagnose Alzheimer’s disease. A PET scan that measures sugar uptake in the brain improves the accuracy of diagnosing a type of cancer. dementia often mistaken for Alzheimer’s disease, a study revealed.
• Cancer – PET scans can detect cancer, reveal its stage, determine whether it has spread, help doctors determine the best cancer treatment, and provide information on the efficacy of ongoing chemotherapy. A PET scan conducted several weeks after the start of radiation treatment for lung cancer can indicate whether the tumor will respond to the treatment, a study showed. This article looks at whether PET scans are beneficial during cancer diagnosis, staging and monitoring.
• Heart disease – A PET scan can help determine which areas of the heart are injured or scarred. A PET scan is more likely to reveal any issues with heart function. A study revealed how comprehensive diagnosis of heart disease based on a single CT scan is possible.
• PET scans –provide vital information to medical researchers, particularly those interested in how the brain works