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Appropriate Indications for PET — not covered by Medicare:
Overview Positron emission tomography (PET) uses radioactive glucose to evaluate the metabolic activity of organs and disease processes. Unlike CT, MRI or ultrasound, which evaluate anatomy, PET evaluates function, how much glucose is being utilized. Most cancers are far more metabolically active than the surrounding tissue and will have increased utilization of glucose, which allows for detection with a PET scanner. Some diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, have decreased metabolic activity compared to normal. This is also detected with a PET scan. The radioactive glucose that is injected accumulates throughout the body, allowing for the entire body to be scanned during a single exam. PET may eventually replace multiple imaging modalities in the work up of certain diseases, such as cancer. Being a relatively new technique, Medicare and insurance coverage for PET is limited to the indications listed.
What patients need to know PET (positron emission tomography) is a powerful diagnostic tool that, in many cases, renders answers that no other imaging test can provide. Biochemical changes caused by certain diseases are detected by the PET scanner after an IV injection of a trace amount of FDG-18, a radioactive, sugar like substance. The body's distribution of this "tracer" is mapped by the PET scanner. Reactions to FDG-18 are extremely rare. PET scans are considered to be quite safe. Although PET exams are similar experientially to a CT scan (patient lies on a table which moves slowly through a doughnut shaped gantry), PET is fundamentally different than CT, x-ray or MRI in that PET produces an image of metabolism. X-ray, CT and MRI are useful in producing images or structure or anatomy. Dietary and exercise preparation for a PET scan and length examination depend on the information needed. In general, patients should allow for a couple of hours to complete the exam. On time arrival for a PET exam is extremely important as FDG-18 is individually prepared (titrated) for timed administration. Unless patient the patient is given medication to reduce anxiety, they should not feel any different than how they did prior to the scan.
Imaging technology
Available at
TRA clinical PET specialists:
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