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How Does a PET Scan Work?
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How a PET Scan Works
A PET scan creates three-dimensional images by tracking radioactive tracers inside the body.
A tracer is usually given by intravenous injection. It consists of a carrier molecule bonded to a radioactive atom, or isotope. The carrier molecule is chosen based on what doctors want to examine because it can bind to or interact with particular substances in the body.
When investigating or monitoring cancer, a doctor may use FDG, a modified form of glucose. Because tissues take up glucose, unusually high uptake may indicate a cancerous tumor.
The isotope emits positrons. Each positron interacts with an electron, and the two particles annihilate one another, releasing two photons that travel in opposite directions. PET scanner detectors measure the photons, and a computer uses those measurements to map the tracer’s distribution in the body.
The subtitles note that the tracer’s radiation poses little danger because the tracer passes out of the body quickly.
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- An unnamed narrator delivers the video’s explanation.
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