PET positron emission tomography, used in the early 1990s, was a breakthrough in early cancer detection, staging and treatment planning, and one of the most important imaging modalities for successful treatment. Fast and uncontrolled proliferating cancer cells consume more energy during proliferation.
To gain this energy, substances such as sugars and proteins are used. Using PET, cancer cells labeled with these substances can be visualized to determine how far the cancer has spread to determine its location and rapid transition to treatment.
With PET, it is clearer and faster to decide which options, such as radiotherapy, surgery or chemotherapy, are a suitable treatment. In addition, PET is an important imaging tool for detecting living cancer cells in the cancerous area after treatment.
How is the PET-CT performed?
For the PET / CT procedure, the patient must fast for at least 6 hours. First, the patient’s blood sugar level is measured to inject intravenous radioactive material to the patient whose blood glucose is within the desired limits. The most preferred radioactive agent for this method is F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose.
This substance is a sugar molecule bound to the radioactive substance Flor-18. After administration of the drug, the patient must wait about 1 hour for the drug to be distributed throughout the body. Thereafter, the recording can begin on the PET / CT device.