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PET-CT, or Positron Emission Tomography, is an innovative test used to detect and control the course of treatment of diseases, mainly cancer. The most important benefit of the test is the ability to detect small changes early in the development of the disease. What cannot be done after other imaging tests, such as X-ray, MRI, or regular computed tomography.
What is PET-CT examination?
PET-CT, or Positron Emission Tomography, is an innovative test used to detect and control the course of treatment of diseases, mainly cancer. The most important benefit of the test is the ability to detect small changes early in the development of the disease. What cannot be done after other imaging tests, such as X-ray, MRI, or regular computed tomography.
Positron Emission Tomography is an imaging test used in nuclear medicine. PET-CT is a combination of two existing diagnostic methods: CT, that is traditional computed tomography, and PET, Positron Emission Tomography. Positron Emission Tomography is more precise due to the merging of the above two studies. Therefore, it enables earlier detection of neoplastic changes, assessment of their advancement and location. Scientists also indicate that with the help of the test, doctors are able to determine whether the disease is resuming.
PET-CT can only be performed in a facility with specialized equipment. Research price in private clinics it ranges from PLN 3 to PLN 6. The National Health Fund reimburses PET-CT only in some cases. Namely, when other tests prove to be unreliable in neoplastic diseases, in some heart diseases and in drug-resistant epilepsy.
Indications for PET-CT examination
Positron Emission Tomography is used to detect many dangerous diseases, especially cancer. However, keep in mind that not all of them. PET-CT is best suited for the diagnosis of breast, lung, neck, head, thyroid, pancreatic, esophageal and melanoma cancers. The examination is also recommended in the case of suspected cardiological diseases (e.g. ischemic disease), neurological diseases and inflammations. The tests are not performed in pregnant women, people with advanced renal failure and people with unstable diabetes.
Preparation for PET-CT examination
24 hours before PET-CT performance, we should refrain from consuming alcohol and caffeinated beverages, and give up sports. However, 6 hours before the examination, the patient is absolutely forbidden to eat any food and liquids, except water. On the day of the examination, do not give up taking the medications taken regularly. The exceptions are insulin and diabetes medications, which can be taken after the test. People preparing for a PET scan must also remember to take at least 2 liters of still water with them. Because before and after the test, you should drink less than a liter of water. Consumption of water after the test is intended to wash out the applied radioactive isotope from the body.
What is Positron Emission Tomography?
Before the test, the patient is given an injection of glucose (a radiopharmaceutical), which is labeled with radioactive fluorine. After that, the subject must lie down in a darkened room for approximately one hour, after which the appropriate examination can be performed. The patient is placed in a special PET-CT scanner in a supine position, with the arms above the head. It is forbidden to move during the examination. However, you can swallow and breathe freely. A patient scan usually takes around 30 minutes. As in the case of standard tomography, the data from the scanner is sent to a computer on which a three-dimensional image of the examined place is created.
The core of the study is fluorine-associated glucose (radiopharmaceutical). It turns out that disease cells consume much more glucose than healthy ones, which is why they take on a different appearance (so-called flares appear in the image). After PET-CT examination, for about 6 hours, due to the content of ionizing radiation in the body, prolonged contact with other people, especially children and pregnant women, should be avoided.
Accuracy is definitely an advantage of Positron Emission Tomography. The disadvantages, however, are the price and the lack of a radiopharmaceutical that would be universal and would allow detecting all types of undesirable changes.
Complications
Due to the fact that Positron Emission Tomography is a minimally invasive examination, it reduces the incidence of complications practically to zero. Therefore, the study can be performed in very loaded patients, e.g. suffering from renal and hepatic insufficiency.