PET/CT Procedures

PET/CT is most often used in oncology for the detection and treatment of cancer, but also can be useful in diagnosing conditions in the brain, prostate and heart as well.

• Oncology: PET/CT studies of the entire body are used to evaluate malignant tumors. PET/CT has been used to evaluate a variety of cancers with an 85% to 95% degree of accuracy. The most common oncology applications include lung cancer, lymphoma, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, head and neck tumors, melanoma, and bone and soft tissue sarcoma. Once a tumor has been located, PET/CT is able to distinguish whether it is benign or malignant. Additionally, once a patient has undergone chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery, PET/CT can assess how effective the treatment has been.

• Neurology: The most frequently performed PET study of the brain is a study of glucose metabolism. Amyloid PET/CT imaging can also be used to detect the presence of amyloid plaque in the brain, making it easier to diagnose neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. For more information on Amyloid PET/CT, including it’s role in the Alzheimer’s Disease therapeutic, Leqembi, click here.

• Urology: PSMA PET imaging uses a radio-active tracer for precise detection of prostate cancer. By targeting PSMA proteins, typically overexpressed in cancer cells, this innovative technique enhances accuracy in staging the disease and spotting metastatic spread. Shields is one of very few providers who specialize in this cutting-edge imaging technique. For more information on PSMA PET/CT, including where it is offered in our network, click here.

• Cardiology: PET can help determine whether it is clinically necessary to perform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures such as angiography, angioplasty, bypass surgery, and cardiac transplantation. For cardiology applications, PET/CT scanning is the most accurate noninvasive test to determine the presence of coronary artery disease or the viability of the muscle.