| Positron Emission Tomography (PET Scan) |
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With appointment only. Not covered by the RAMQ - see methods of payment. Click here to find out how to prepare for the exam. The positron emission tomography (PET Scan) is actually the most advanced technology of medical imaging. Principles PET Scan evaluates the metabolic activity of cells in particular the metabolism of glucose. PET Scan uses a molecule similar to glucose, the FDG (fluoro-deoxyglucose) branded with Fluor 18, positron transmitter, which will be captured by the cancer cells which are eager for glucose. A radioactive substance (18FDG) is administered to the patient. The patient is then placed in front of a camera which permits the imaging of the distribution of the substance in the body. The Positron Emission Tomography along with the computerized axial tomography with 16 detectors (PET Scan), also offers anatomic information of high definition. A joint and combined reading of the exams is done by the doctor of nuclear medicine and the doctor of radiology. Benefits of the PET Scan • Allows early cancer diagnosis, often before it causes anatomic changes. • Allows the evaluation of the spread and a precise staging of the cancer, essential in the choice of the best treatment and its success. • Allows quick assessment of the patient’s response to the treatment and its success. • Allows the identification of, often hidden, metastases at a distance, which can modify the course of the disease, the patient’s response and the treatment. • In certain cases, only one exam (the PET Scan) is necessary to answer all the clinical questions, which usually would need many other types of exams in order to find all the answers. Usefulness of PET/CT • Mainly the initial diagnostic and/or follow-up of cancer cases, especially : - Lung cancer and pulmonary nodules - Lymphoma - Head and neck malignancies - Colorectal cancer - Esophageal cancer - Pancreatic cancer - Melanoma - Thyroid cancer - Breast cancer - Testicular cancer - Uterine and ovarian cancer • Central nervous system disorders, particularly Alzheimer's disease, certain neurodegenerative disorders, and epilepsy.
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