PET/CT Scanner

PET/CT scanners use two digital technologies for detecting and diagnosing cancer earlier and more precisely. Consult your insurance carrier for PET/CT scanners eligible for coverage in your plan.

Unlike conventional PET scanners the PET/CT imaging system provides the information needed for accurate image fusion between two types of radiology procedures -- Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Computed Tomography (CT).

A PET scanner uses small concentrations of radioactive material injected into the blood to show concentrations of cancer cells in a color spectrum. The CT uses x-ray beams and digital processing to produce cross-sectional image ‘slices’ of the body, acting as a map to show precisely where the cancer is located.

Using the PET/CT system, radiologists are able to more accurately describe tumors and determine whether the tumor has invaded other nearby structures or spread elsewhere in the body.

This information helps physicians decide whether biopsy or surgery is appropriate, and helps determine how well patients are responding to chemotherapy or other treatment regimens.

An outpatient procedure, PET/CT is predominantly used for conditions such as:

• Breast cancer
• Lung cancer
• Colon and rectal cancer
• Lymphoma
• Esophageal cancer
• Melanoma (skin cancer)
• Head and neck cancer

It can also be used for detecting heart disease and for non-cancer related brain studies.