History and Indications of PET/CT Scan

A CT scan or a computed tomography scan is also known as computed axial tomography. This medical technology works using computers and x-rays to produce a picture of your body’s inside, i.e., organs. In a CT scan, a patient lies in a tunnel-like structure of a CT scan machine; the inside, the CT scan machine rotates and takes x-rays from different angles. This allows doctors to see inside of your body without fragmenting it.

Whereas, A PET scan, positron emission tomography scan is an imaging technology that reveals disease in organs and how organs are performing. In a PET scan, a radioactive tracer is injected through veins, inhaled, or swallowed depending upon specific organ imaging.

History of PET/CT scan

The very first CT scan image was produced on 1st October 1971 in a hospital in London, England. Godfrey Hounsfield and his team developed the image of a frontal lobe tumor in the brain of 80×80 matrix. However, talking about PET scan development, this technology started in 1950, and the first PET scan was used in 1974 by Edward J. Hoffman and his associates.

Indications of PET/CT scan

The vast range of PET indications are:

• Inflammation such as pyrexia, rheumatology diseases (vasculitis).
• Oncology (cancer): malignancy, tumor, staging, surveillance, and response computation.
• Neurological problems, such as dementia, epilepsy.
• Assessment of solitary pulmonary nodules.
• Guiding in the pleural biopsy of mesothelioma.

The indications of a CT scan include:

• Diagnosis of bone and muscle disorders.
• Imaging infection, tumor, and blood clot.
• Guiding procedures like radiation therapy and surgeries.
• Diagnosis of internal bleeding, abscess, or injuries.
• Detecting ureteric calculus.
• Fractures, trauma, and dislocation of the cervical spine.

We, as a teleradiology service provider, offer online interpretation and reporting of nuclear scans including PET/CT scans.