6.7 - PET Scanning

• What is positron emission tomography (PET)?

  A medical imaging technique
• How does PET help in medical diagnosis?

  It visualizes organ function and diagnoses conditions
• What are the radioactive isotopes used in PET scans called?

  Tracers
• What happens to the tracers after they are injected?

  They spread and emit gamma radiation
• Where do most tracers go in the body?

  To metabolically active sites
• What does the PET scanner detect?

  Gamma radiation emitted from tracers
• How do doctors use the information from PET scans?

  To diagnose medical conditions
• Why must tracers be made nearby hospitals?

  They have short half-lives
• What is the significance of short half-lives for tracers?

  To minimize harm to the patient
• What equipment do some hospitals have to make their own tracers?

  Cyclotrons
• Why is it important for tracers to be made close to the hospital?

  To prevent decay before use
• What does PET stand for?

  positron emission tomography
• What is another name for the radioactive material that is injected into the patient before a PET scan

  Tracer
• What type of radiation is detected in PET scans?

  Gamma