Why a PET Scan Is Performed?

Why a PET Scan Is Performed?

Your doctor may order a PET scan to inspect the blood flow, oxygen intake, and metabolism of your organs and tissues. PET scans are most commonly used to detect:

• cancer
• heart problems
• brain disorders
• problems with the central nervous system

Unlike other imaging tests, such as CT or MRI, PET scans show problems at the cellular level. This gives your doctor the best view of complex systemic diseases, such as:

• coronary artery disease
• brain tumors
• memory disorders
• seizures

When PET is used to detect cancer, it allows your doctor to see how the cancer metabolizes, and whether it has spread, or metastasized, to new areas. PET also shows how the tumor is responding to chemotherapy.

References : This material has been put together with resources collected from the following sources : mayoclinic.org, emedicinehealth.com, radiologyinfo.org