PET Scan Research Paper

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TIME Magazine named the PET scan the medical invention of the year in 2000, and Dr. David Townsend and Dr. Ronald Nutt are credited as the individuals behind the paramount device. A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is a nuclear medicine imaging test that aids in revealing how well a human’s organs and tissues are functioning; the scan can measure an individual’s oxygen use, glucose metabolism, blood flow and much more. The significance of this function is monumental as it essentially enables the scan to detect diseases such as: cancers, heart diseases and brain disorders, before it might appear on various other imaging tests. As a result, more often than not, a PET scan could be the first step in saving a life. The PET Scan, uses radiation to reveal activity within the body on a cellular level. …show more content…
This tracer then slowly travels to cells in the human body that use large amounts of glucose for energy; the greater energy a group of cells needs, the more the tracer will develop in that location. Next, the radionuclide within the tracer essentially undergoes beta positive decay, which signifies the emission of positrons. As a result, the creation of gamma rays will occur. Consequently, a computer will analyze the produced gamma rays and use the obtained information to produce an image map of the tissue or organ being studied. The amount of the radionuclide assembled in the tissue influences how brightly the tissue develops on the image, which indicates the level of organ or tissue

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