A PET scan is costly, sometimes prohibitively so. How Does an MRI Scanner Work? It uses a form of radioactive sugar to create 3D colour images to see how your body’s cells are working. What are nuclear medicine scans used for? A positron emission tomography scan is known as a PET scan. PET/CT combines or merges a PET scan and a CT scan into one set of images. CT stands for Computerized Tomography (commonly known as a CAT scan). It is most often used when other tests, such as MRI scan or CT scan, do not provide enough information. PET scan is a type of test that may be used in cancer treatment. When you are diagnosed with cancer, one of the first few tests you will likely have is a PET Scan or Positron Emission Tomography scan. How it works. A PET-CT scan can sometimes show whether this tissue is active cancer or not. They may also be used to decide if treatment is working. MRI scans use a strong magnetic field to produce detailed images of internal structures of the body. However, the risk from any one scan is small. The technique was then developed by Sir Peter Mansfield and the first MRI body scan of a human being was produced in 1977. A PET scan can give your doctor information about how your brain is working. By Corey Binns 27 December 2012. Depending on where you live and the facility you use, a conventional PET scan may cost anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000. During the CT scan, the scanner emits X-rays, which go through the patient to detectors. These scans use short-lived tracers, so the radiation is gone from your body in about 2 to 10 hours. You can usually drink water during this time. Call the number on your appointment letter if not eating is … CT Scan of Lungs. How does a PET scan work? For a whole-body PET-CT scan, the price can jump well above $6,000. The basics of PET imaging is that the technique detects pairs of gamma rays emitted indirectly by a positron-emitting radionuclide (also called radiopharmaceuticals, radionuclides or radiotracer). It helps doctors evaluate how well organs and tissues are functioning. PET scan of lungs. Positron emission tomography (PET) is a nuclear imaging technology (also referred to as molecular imaging) that enables visualization of metabolic processes in the body. But you might also just hear it called a PET scan. SPECT scans are primarily used to diagnose and track the progression of heart disease, such as blocked coronary arteries. Cancer cells show up as bright spots on PET scans because they have a higher metabolic rate than do normal cells. PET scans may be useful in: Detecting cancer; Revealing whether your cancer has spread What is a PET Scan and How Does it Work? Fused PET/CT scan of lungs. PET scans, bone scans, and other nuclear medicine scans can help doctors find tumors and see how much the cancer has spread in the body (called the cancer’s stage). In most PET scans a radiotracer called fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is used, which is similar to naturally occurring glucose (a type of sugar) so your body treats it in a similar way. PET (positron emission tomography) scan Overview. You might have instructions not to do any strenuous exercise for 24 hours before the scan. Although it wasn’t until the 1980’s that the first MRI scanner capable of creating clinically useful images was produced. For most PET-CT scans, you need to stop eating about 4 to 6 hours beforehand. Patients should also not chew gum for 24 hours before the PET scan as this has been shown to … PET scans use a radioactive tracer to show how an organ is functioning in real time. PET scans also are used for research in other areas, including drug addiction, psychiatric illnesses and stroke. 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