A Guide to PET CT Scans - By: Kathryn Dawson

A PET CT scan is a valuable scan used today by doctors to determine what is wrong with a patient. It consists of a combination of two scans, the PET scan and the CT scan. The images both scans provide when used together provide a powerful diagnostic tool that can be used to detect abnormalities with the cells in the body. Because the images are so detailed and intricate, it is generally used to detect problems on a cellular level only, although it could also be used effectively to diagnose all sorts of problems including broken bones.

During the PET scan the body is exposed to radioactive material. When the radiation passes through the body gamma rays are emitted from the cells. Imaging software then interprets the energy rays being given off and provides it in the form of images that can be viewed on a screen. By having a picture of the energy being given off in a particular area of the body, doctors can see if there are any abnormalities in the cells or tissue or organs in the area being investigated. A CT scan is often used to scan the brain and is most commonly used in the event a patient has undergone a serious head trauma. When used in combination with a PET scan however it provides a very powerful diagnostic tool that can easily display tumors, cancerous growths or other problems in the body. The picture gleaned from the combination of scans provides a much more complete picture than when either scan is used independently of each other.

Doctors use a PET CT scan to get just that bit more information that they would otherwise have. If the scans were not used together in this way there might not be the opportunity to get the unique information they provide. There are other ways to investigate problems in the body but none are more complete or effective than a PET CT scan. It is often better and more appropriate to use than any other type of scan including an MRI. Surgery is another way doctors can see what is wrong with a person, but this is costly and puts the patient at risk in a way that PET CT scans do not. A PET CT scan is non-invasive and there are no side effects for the patient. Investigative surgery is invasive and cannot be carried out on an outpatient basis.

The data received by a PET CT scan is extremely detailed. The cells in the body can be viewed which is helpful in detecting even the earliest signs of problems. When an illness such as cancer is detected early, treatment is much more likely to be successful. Doctors can use a PET CT scan to see if there are any cancerous cells present and view the rate they are spreading. In the field of oncology a PET CT is therefore extremely valuable. These scans do not put the patients at any risk and there are no side effects either. The dose of radiation that the body is exposed to is so small that it cannot do any long term damage. Over the many years that these two scans have been used in conjunction with one another, there have been few problems and a large number of early detections of serious illnesses like cancer.

When it comes to scans, there are few more powerful options than pet ct scans. These work well to detect the cells in the body and if there are any abnormalities. Diagnostic medical imaging in this way can help doctors make accurate diagnoses and therefore prescribe better treatment. PET CT fusion software is extremely important to modern medicine as this allows these scans to be viewed together.

About the Author

Kathryn Dawson writes articles for Mirada Medical, a diagnostic medical imaging software provider. The solutions contain powerful tools for working with PET CT fusion data. Imaging data can be drawn from and combined with MRI, PET and pet ct fusion.

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