The Gollman Group - PET Defined

What is PET?

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a camera used in nuclear medicine that produces powerful 3-dimensional images of the human body's biological functions and reveals the mysteries of health and disease.

First, compounds like simple sugars (glucose, for example) are labeled with signal-emitting tracers and are injected into the patient.

Second, a scanner records the signals these tracers emit as they journey through the human body and collect in the various organs targeted for examination.

Third, a computer reassembles the signals into actual images - the first pictures ever to show biological causes of normal organ function and failure of organ systems in disease.

How is PET used?

PET is used to detect cancerous tumors, determine if lesions are benign or malignant, indicate the extent of primary and metastatic disease (for malignant lesions), and determine the viability of heart tissue for revascularization.

PET Facts

In a world of limited resources, PET saves time, saves money, and most importantly, saves lives. People expect quality medical care at a reasonable cost and up-to-date diagnosis and treatment. Medical costs are most expensive when doctors are pursuing the origin of disease. As long as the disease is unknown, more tests will be done and more costs will result.

PET can effectively pinpoint the source of many of the most common cancers, heart and neurological diseases, eliminating the need for redundant tests and diagnostic surgical procedures. PET is a powerful, proven diagnostic imaging modality that displays the biological basis of function in the organ systems of the human body unobtainable through any other means.

PET is safe.

PET replaces multiple medical testing procedures with a single exam.

PET shows all the organ systems of the body with one image.

PET diagnoses disease often before it shows up on other tests.

PET shows the progress of disease and how the body responds to treatment.

PET reduces or eliminates ineffective or unnecessary surgical or medical treatments and hospitalization.

PET significantly reduces multiple medical costs and avoids needless pain to the patient

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