PET-CT Scan

Indications for PET/CT

PET/CT studies have shown themselves best in the diagnosis of the following diseases:

• Lymphomas
• Malignant melanoma of the skin
• Lung cancer
• Tumors of the gastrointestinal tract
• Tumors of the head and neck

PET/CT examination is most often performed in patients with an already identified pathology.

This method is indispensable for:

• detection of the spread of the malignant process in the body (staging);
• monitoring the course of treatment;
• diagnosis of relapses.

For the most effective assessment of tumor changes during treatment, it is recommended to conduct a study before and after treatment:

• after chemotherapy – 3-4 weeks;
• after radiation therapy – 12-18 weeks;
• after surgery – 12-18 weeks.

In some cases, PET/CT is used to search for a hidden tumor in the presence of metastases (CUP syndrome), to diagnose inflammatory diseases, as well as for certain cardiac and neurological diseases.

The study should be prescribed by the attending physician, indicating the diagnosis and purpose of the study. Before the examination, the radiologist examines the patient's referral, takes into account the indications and determines the need for the study.

Contraindications to PET/CT

• Pregnancy
• Acute pathological condition
• Infectious diseases in the active phase
• Severe somatic condition of the patient, including a condition that does not allow him to be in a static supine position for 60 minutes
• Hyperglycemia and serum glucose above 11 mmol/L (in the study with FDG)

What is PET/CT

PET/CT (positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography) is a unique diagnostic method that helps to see not only human organs and tissues, but also to determine the presence of a pathological process at the molecular level. The method allows detecting the smallest tumor foci in the human body at the earliest stages of the disease development, and monitoring the effectiveness of treatment.

For PET examination, the patient is injected with a microscopic amount of biologically active molecules (most often glucose) labeled with a radioactive isotope. They are actively captured by the pathological tissues of the body, integrated into the cellular metabolism and, thanks to the radiation of the isotope, make it possible to see the presence and spread of these changes in the human body.

The image of metabolic disorders obtained on PET is superimposed on computed tomography (CT), which makes it possible to create a three-dimensional reconstruction of processes and anatomical changes. Thus, PET/CT scans can provide information about human disease at the molecular, cellular, and organ levels.

An important feature of PET/CT is the ability to diagnose the entire body at once.

Equipment