The Pet-CT Scan Can Be Used To Determine If Cancerous Cells Have Spread And Their Metastases Are Present
2 min read
It is also possible to monitor the tumor’s progression over time using PET CT.
Measurement of the effectiveness of treatments and even the spread of cancer are common uses for this test.
Also measured is the size of each tumor, the response to treatment, and whether or not cancer has spread to other organs. Through PET-CT scans, early stage tumors and metastases can be detected precisely.
What is the Purpose of PET CT Scans?
PET-CT scans are imaging tests that combine PET imaging with computed tomography. As individual methods, both have undeniable advantages, but they deliver different levels of results. Thus, these methods complement each other very well when treating certain cancers.
By combining these two technologies, the PET-CT facilitates a more accurate and clear diagnosis.
PET is a radionuclide imaging technique using short-lived isotopes to diagnose diseases. It works by introducing radioactively labeled substances into the body, otherwise known as tracers. How they interact with tissue determines where they are distributed in the body. These features enable the camera to determine them precisely and display them graphically.
CT scans are done to create images of a body part by scanning the tissues.
PET-CT is able to combine both types of imaging into one machine. Only PET scans can locate tumors accurately and determine their displacement, location, and rate of growth. The PET scan and the CT scan work together to produce the most accurate image by mapping the tissue.
What is the Process?
Other diagnostic tests besides a PET CT are needed to determine the accurate location of a tumor. These and other tests include clinical examinations, blood tests, mammography, tomography, tumor markers, MRIs, and biopsies.
A PET-CT scan involves giving patients fluoride-mixed glucose before they undergo the scan. Because cancer cells are highly glucose-dependent, after they are injected with glucose, the glucose is absorbed much more rapidly by them. By attaching radioactive fluoride to the glucose, PET-CT scanners can detect tumor cells.
As a result, this scan is so useful for detecting and studying cancer progression and adequacy. Doctors also use this procedure for finding metastases, but not the main tumor, in the body.
For patients to reduce their glucose uptake risk during PET CT scan near me, they should follow some rules.
The type and size of the area to be scanned will influence the analysis). Patients should not eat anything between 18.00 and 19.00 on the day before their analysis
- There are no sweets or sugars allowed in the school
- Effort is not required
- It is not recommended to consume alcohol and coffee
- Cold weather should be avoided at all costs
Moreover, before the PET CT, the patient’s blood glucose level cannot exceed 200 units. In this procedure, glucose is injected into the patient and allowed to take effect for at least 45 minutes or one hour. Approximately 20 minutes are required for the scan to be completed.
