brain scanning

• Position Emission Tomography (PET)

  A 3D imaging technique used to see which brain areas are being activated while performing tasks
• Radiotracer

  A radioactive substance injected into the arm before a PET scan.
• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)


  A medical imaging technique that forms images of anatomy and the physiological processes of the body.
• What does an MRI Scan measure?

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Blood Oxygenation levels.
• Computerized tomography scan (CAT scan)


  Scientific imaging technique that makes use of X-ray scanners to produce images of "slices" of the brain.
• Ionising radiation


  Any form of radiation that has the ability to remove electrons from atoms and molecules. This includes X-rays.
• What does an MRI Scan measure?

  Blood Oxygenation levels.

• CAT scans of the brain involve passing x-rays through the brain from different angles and a computer will use these images to create a detailed image of the brain
• Cat scans are useful for detecting areas of brain damage following an accident or the positioning of tumors however the scans do not give any information about how the brain is functioning
• Cat scans can pose a risk to patients as they involve exposure to radiation
• PET scans involve injecting the patient with a small amount of a radioactive material in order to conduct the scan
• the substance injected in a PET scan is known as fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)
• the image produced from a PET scan is in colour with areas of high activity shown by warmer colours and areas of lower activity shown by cooler colours

  
• the long term effects of PET scans are unknown and it is advised that a patients should not have too many
• an fMRI scan involves having your head placed in a very large and powerful electromagnet
• a computer takes the information from an fMRI scan and crates an image of the brain showing the levels of neural activity