PET


Positron Emission Tomography, or PET scan, is the latest and most advanced diagnostic technology. It is used primarily to detect cancer and Alzheimer's disease, to localize the origin of epileptic seizures and to locate functional heart tissue prior to cardiac surgery. This service is now available in an outpatient setting. PET evaluates disease processes - not just anatomy. The procedure shows uptake of a tracer into living tissue and differentiates normal areas from those affected by disease.
Common applications of PET:
Neurology (brain) - Helps to localize the area causing epileptic seizures, as well as find the best surgical site, and assists in diagnosis of complex dementia disorders, including Alzheimer's disease.
Cancer Detection - Provides information regarding the following: whether a tumor is malignant or benign; the extent of the cancer; tumor recurrence; and evaluation of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Alzheimer's Disease - Can detect whether the patient is developing an ailment that causes memory loss and/or mental deterioration.
Cardiac Disease - Determines potential for heart muscle recovery following coronary artery surgery; can also evaluate the amount of viable heart tissue prior to considering a heart transplant.
PET can also diagnose the following conditions:
· Solitary pulmonary nodules
· Non-small-cell lung cancer
· Malignant melanoma
· Colon cancer
· Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
· Head and neck tumors
· Other specific uses in oncology, cardiology and neurology
The Benefits of PET:
· Early indication of the extent of the disease
· A significant advance in detection of lung cancer - far more accurate that CT studies alone
· Helps differentiate between post-radiation scarring and recurring disease
· Improved monitoring of cancer recurrences
· Effective evaluation of chemotherapy and radiotherapy
· Safe, noninvasive and painless procedure
· Interpreted by radiologists at each center
· Complements CT and MRI studies
· Medicare-approved for a number of diagnoses