PET Scan Quiz

PET Scan Basics

• PET stands for Positron Emission Tomography
• Primary use of a PET scan: to create 3D images of the inside of the body to diagnose conditions like cancer, heart disease, and brain disorders

PET Scan Process

• Uses radioactive tracers to create 3D images of the inside of the body
• Involves injecting a small amount of radioactive material into the body, which accumulates in areas with high metabolic activity
• A scanner detects the radiation and produces detailed images of the body's internal structures

PET Scan vs. Other Imaging Techniques

• Distinguishing feature: ability to measure metabolic activity and function, unlike other imaging techniques that only show structure
• Combines functional information with anatomical information

Advantages and Limitations

• Advantages: non-invasive, can detect diseases at an early stage, and provides detailed information about metabolic activity
• Limitations: expensive, not widely available, and may not be suitable for certain patients (e.g., pregnant women)

PET Scan Applications

• Cancer diagnosis and treatment: to identify cancerous tissues, monitor treatment response, and detect recurrences
• Heart disease diagnosis: to assess heart function and detect heart disease
• Brain disorders diagnosis: to study brain function and detect conditions like Alzheimer's disease

Contributions to Personalized Medicine

• Enables personalized treatment plans by providing detailed information about disease progression and treatment response
• Helps doctors tailor treatment strategies to individual patients' needs

Matching Exercises

• Match medical imaging techniques with their primary use:
  • PET scan: diagnosing conditions like cancer, heart disease, and brain disorders
  • Other imaging techniques (e.g., CT, MRI, X-ray): showing internal structures and anatomy
• Match radioisotopes with their common use in PET scanning:
  • Fluorine-18 (F-18): cancer diagnosis
  • Other radioisotopes (e.g., oxygen-15, nitrogen-13): heart disease and brain disorders diagnosis
• Match PET scan applications with their specific medical purposes:
  • Cancer diagnosis and treatment: identifying cancerous tissues, monitoring treatment response, and detecting recurrences
  • Heart disease diagnosis: assessing heart function and detecting heart disease
  • Brain disorders diagnosis: studying brain function and detecting conditions like Alzheimer's disease