Atulaya Healthcare

PET CT Scan

PET-CT scan, short for Positron Emission Tomography-Computed Tomography scan, is a diagnostic imaging technique that combines two powerful imaging modalities: PET and CT. This hybrid imaging technology provides detailed information about the structure and function of organs and tissues in the body, helping in the diagnosis, staging, and monitoring of various diseases, particularly cancer.

PET-CT scans are commonly used in the following areas:

1. Oncology: PET-CT plays a vital role in cancer diagnosis, staging, treatment planning, and monitoring. It helps in identifying primary tumors, detecting metastases, evaluating treatment response, and detecting cancer recurrence.
2. Neurology: PET-CT scans can assist in evaluating brain function, identifying abnormalities in brain metabolism, and detecting certain neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.
3. Cardiology: PET-CT can assess blood flow, myocardial viability, and detect areas of decreased blood supply in the heart. It is useful in evaluating coronary artery disease, assessing cardiac function, and guiding treatment decisions.
4. Infection and inflammation: PET-CT scans can detect areas of infection and inflammation in the body, aiding in the diagnosis and monitoring of conditions such as abscesses, osteomyelitis, and vasculitis.

The PET and CT data are combined to create fused images, where the functional information from PET is superimposed on the anatomical information from CT. This integration allows for precise localization and characterization of abnormal tissues, aiding in diagnosis, staging, and treatment planning.

PET-CT scans provide valuable information to healthcare professionals, enabling them to make accurate diagnoses, plan appropriate treatment strategies, and monitor the effectiveness of interventions.