PET stands for Positron Emission Tomography, and is an imaging technique which uses small amounts of radioactivity to help in the diagnosis of disease. Pharmaceuticals are introduced into the body, either by injection or inhalation of a gas, and a PET scanner is used to produce an image showing the distribution of the pharmaceutical in the body.
Who should have a PET Scan?
As there is a large demand for access, patients are only accepted for PET scans according to strict clinical criteria. At the Austin Hospital, Melbourne, these areas include Neurology (particularly epilepsy and stroke), Cardiology, Oncology and Psychiatry.
What are the risks?
The amount of radioactivity used in a PET scan is extremely small. The radiation dose from a PET scan is similar to that from standard diagnostic procedures used in Nuclear Medicine. The pharmaceuticals used in PET are administered in minute quantities.
