This post is from a suggested group
🔬 Positron Emission Tomography (PET): A Revolution in Functional Imaging and Metabolic Disease Diagnosis
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) stands as a foundational diagnostic technology in nuclear medicine, providing clinicians with detailed images of physiological processes rather than just anatomical structure.
By injecting a short-lived radioactive tracer—most commonly Fluorodeoxyglucose ($^{18}\text{F}$FDG), a glucose analog—PET can visualize and quantify metabolic activity in tissues. This is especially vital in oncology, where the Warburg effect causes rapidly growing malignant tumors to exhibit a significantly higher glucose uptake than surrounding normal tissue. The concentration of the imaged tracer directly indicates the regional glucose uptake, allowing PET to effectively detect, stage, and monitor the treatment efficacy for various cancers, including lymphomas and lung cancer. Furthermore, PET’s versatility extends beyond cancer; tracers like $15\text{O}$-water and $11\text{C}$-methionine are employed to assess myocardial blood flow and image brain tumors, respectively, showcasing its utility in cardiology and neurology. Recent advancements focus on introducing new, highly specific radiotracers to image the concentration of diverse molecules of…
