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What is PET(Positron Emission Tomography)?

Positron emission tomography (PET) takes the image of FDG (fluorodeoxyglucose) distribution, which has similar radioactivity of positron emitting glucose. It can measure the functions of each organ and physiological reactions.

Living carcinoma cell shows active glucose metabolism, and consumes more glucose than the normal cell. Therefore, PET image can show the glucose consumption by carcinoma cell clearly. PET is utilized for the diagnosis of cancer with high glucose consumption, evaluation after radiotherapy and chemotherapy, reoccurrence after surgery, metastasis into other parts, etc.

In addition, brain PET image can be used for neurological and psychiatrical disease for dementia, epileptic seizure, cerebrovascular disease, etc.

PET can visualize the whole body, and has the superiority over cost. It is rapidly spread across the advanced countries, and widely accepted in the large medical centers in Korea.

Clinical use of PET

Diagnostic medical images are composed of computerized tomography (CT), nuclear resonance imagery (MRI) for the change in shape, positron emission tomography (PET) for the change in molecular biological function, etc. PET-CT is a new diagnostic method by taking imagery of PET and CT at the same time.

PET-CT is an advanced imagery diagnostics by combining PET, which aims for the early detection of tumor with more than certain size, and CT for precise positioning of tumor. In addition, diagnosis time can be reduced to 25~30 minutes with help of CT (PET only takes about 50 minutes), and combined imagery of PET and CT can help to locate the disease for radiotherapy.

PET-CT System

PET is widely used for early diagnosis of cancer, determination of treatment efficacy, detection of reoccurrence, etc.

Especially, it is utilized in lung cancer, esophageal cancer, head and neck cancer, lymphoma, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, brain tumor, etc. After injecting radioactive medical substance with emission of positron via IV, PET-CT is utilized to image the distribution of injected substance. Metastasis of lung cancer, breast cancer, lymphoma, thyroid cancer, etc, evaluation after chemotherapy, and reoccurrence of carcinoma cell will be determined.

• Early diagnosis
  • PET-CT scan can image the molecular biochemical change, and enable to diagnose before showing morphological change in tumor. In addition, carcinoma tumor and benign tumor can be divided, and unnecessary surgery might be prevented.
• Determination of stage
  • PET-CT scan can precisely determine the stages of carcinoma cell. Especially, image of whole body will ensure any metastasis into other organs.
• Reoccurrence detection
  • Periodic PET-CT scan will detect the reoccurrence of cancer after surgical removal of carcinoma.
• Efficacy determination of chemotherapy
  • PET-CT diagnosis before and after of chemotherapy can determine the efficacy efficiently.
  • Biochemical abnormality from carcinoma cell will be returned to normal before showing morphological change.

Examination method and precautions for PET-CT

• Examination method
  • Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) will be injected via IV, and take a rest for about 1 hour.
  • While resting, excessive motion should be prevented. If you are under tension or moved, FDG will be consumed in muscle.
  • For whole body image, diagnosis time will be about 30 minutes.
• Precautions during diagnosis
  • It will diagnosed glucose metabolism, and fasting should be required throughout the night after having dinner at the previous night.
  • Do not conduct excessive exercise on the day of diagnosis. Please make sure to arrive on time not to run for meeting scheduled time.
  • Due to the preparation of FDG, cancellation on the day of diagnosis will not be allowed. If it is inevitable, please contact the reservation at least 1~2 days before.
  • Diagnosis will not be painful but comfortable one.