What is PET

What is it used for? PET-CT is called Positron Emission Tomography/X-ray Computed Tomography, which is an organic combination of PET and CT equipment, using the same examination bed and the same image processing workstation.PET is Positron Emission Tomography, which is a molecular imaging device that performs functional metabolic imaging and can detect subtle lesions that do not have any clinical symptoms.CT is Computed Tomography, which is a computerized body scan that clearly dissects the structure of the human body. CT is a computerized body scanning, which allows for clear anatomical tomographic images of body structures. The fusion of PET images with CT images can simultaneously reflect the pathophysiologic changes and morphologic structure of the lesions, and clearly, distinctly and accurately reflect the lesions of all organs of the human body. PET-CT technology is currently the most perfect, highest-grade medical imaging equipment, but also a unique medical diagnostic technology, called "the crown of modern medical technology". It can sensitively reflect the function and metabolic status of each organ, and its examination result is figuratively called "translucent man" on medical image, which can discover malignant tumors in metabolic abnormality at an early stage. At present, PET-CT is mainly applied to the following scopes in the clinic: 1) Tumor staging: Primary malignant tumors have been determined. It is necessary to find and judge the systemic tumor metastasis, locate and make differential diagnosis of metastatic foci; evaluate and determine the local invasion range of discovered malignant tumors, which helps to help doctors make individualized treatment plans. 2、Searching for primary foci: 1) Clinical or relevant examination has found metastatic tumor lesions, in order to find unknown primary tumor location or the whole body situation needs to be analyzed and staged before treatment. (2) Although the patients have abnormal tumor biochemistry or tumor markers and other inspection indexes, clinical and relevant examinations have not found any abnormality and further examination is needed to confirm the diagnosis. 3、Evaluation of therapeutic efficacy: 1) Monitoring of therapeutic efficacy in the process of tumor treatment (including surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, etc.), timely evaluation of drug-resistant phenomenon of malignant tumors and sensitivity of drug treatment, formulation of treatment plan, assessment of disease development and prognosis. (2) Timely detection of tumor residue or recurrence, and differential diagnosis of newly discovered lesions. 4、Determine the biopsy site: guide the orientation of tissue biopsy and the positioning of the eight regions, or tissue biopsy failure and suspicion of false-negative results and allow the positioning of the biopsy again, for the diagnosed malignant tumors for the positioning of the interventional therapy. 5、Development of radiotherapy plan: Determination of the biological target area of the tumor in the process of radiotherapy, so as to avoid damage to normal tissues. 6、Diagnosis and differential diagnosis: diagnosis of malignant tumors, diagnosis and differential diagnosis of discovered or suspected organ tumor lesions, and determination of the malignant degree of tumors. 7. Screening for high risk groups of tumor: routine examination for high risk groups of tumor with family history of tumor, etc., to achieve the purpose of early detection and early treatment. 8、Diagnosis of neurological and cardiovascular diseases.