How the Exam Works
A technologist will give you a small amount of a special liquid through an IV in your arm. This liquid, called a tracer, travels through your body and is absorbed by your cells.
How Areas Are Identified
Different parts of your body absorb the tracer at different levels. Areas that are more active take in more of the tracer, which helps highlight them on the images.
Taking the Images
The PET/CT scanner combines two types of imaging:
- PET scan: Shows how your cells are functioning by identifying areas that absorb more tracer
- CT scan: Provides detailed images of your organs and bones
When these images are combined, doctors can see both where something is happening and exactly where it is located in your body.
What PET/CT Can Show
While other imaging tests mainly show the structure of your body, a PET/CT scan also shows how your body is working. This allows doctors to detect changes at a very early stage, sometimes before they can be seen on other types of scans.
PET/CT is generally used for three main reasons:
1. Oncology (Finding and Watching Cancer)
- What it does: Helps doctors find cancer, see if it has moved to other parts of the body, and check if medication is working.
2. Cardiology (Checking the Heart)
- What it does: Looks at how well your heart is pumping and how blood is flowing. This helps doctors determine the best way to keep your heart healthy.
3. Neurology (Looking at the Brain)
- What it does: Can find very early changes in the brain. This helps doctors spot things like Alzheimer’s disease, find the cause of seizures or other neurological disorders.
Safety and Benefits
A PET/CT scan is a safe and comfortable exam. It is not painful, and the tracer used contains a very small, safe amount of material to help create clear images. The test is noninvasive, meaning no surgery is needed. Most patients can return to their normal activities right after the exam.
Why It’s Helpful
A PET/CT scan combines two types of imaging in one test:
- It shows what your body looks like (structure)
- It shows how your body is working (function)
By providing both views at the same time, this exam gives your doctor a more complete understanding of your health — helping guide the best next steps for your care.
