What does the 'PET' in 'PET scanning' stand for?

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

Answer in your head, out loud, or on paper, then tap the card to flip.

What is PET scanning used for?

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a medical imaging technique that uses radioactive isotopes to visualise organ function and diagnose medical conditions.

Answer in your head, out loud, or on paper, then tap the card to flip.

Why must the tracers used in PET scans be made close to the hospital where they are used?

The radioactive isotopes used in the tracers have short half-lives (to minimise harm to the patient). This means they must be made near the hospital, as otherwise, they would decay before they reach the hospital.

Answer in your head, out loud, or on paper, then tap the card to flip.

What is another name for the radioactive material that is injected into the patient before a PET scan?

A tracer.

Answer in your head, out loud, or on paper, then tap the card to flip.

What type of radiation is used in PET scans?

Gamma radiation.

Answer in your head, out loud, or on paper, then tap the card to flip.

Outline how PET scans work

  1. Radioactive isotopes ('tracers') are injected into the patient's bloodstream.
  2. The tracers spread throughout the body, emitting gamma radiation. Most of the tracers will go to the areas of the body with the highest metabolic activity (as those sites have the highest bloody supply).
  3. The patient lies inside a PET scanner, which detects where the gamma radiation is being emitted from.
  4. By mapping where the gamma radiation is emitted from, doctors can see where the tracers are concentrated, and use this information to help diagnose medical conditions.

Answer in your head, out loud, or on paper, then tap the card to flip.