| Over the past 2 decades, computed tomography (CT) | | | | place the CT and PET images on top of each other to |
| has been the gold standard in the diagnosis and | | | | view at the same time. However, it was nearly |
| treatment planning of a variety of cancers. People with | | | | impossible to transfer a patient from one exam to the |
| lung, breast, spinal, and other cancers have reaped the | | | | next without having some sort of change in the |
| benefits of CTs ability to provide clear images of the | | | | patient's position or the position of the patient's internal |
| body's various organs. While CT provides high-quality | | | | organs. Because of this, the images rarely lined up |
| images of cancerous areas, it doesn't help the doctor | | | | precisely. |
| see the body's function, which makes it impossible to | | | | The Right Fit |
| catch all cancers. PET scanning fills much of that void. | | | | In 2002, the first commercially available PET/CT |
| Short for positron emission tomography scanning, PET | | | | combination scanner took away these problems by |
| scanning has rapidly become a staple in oncology | | | | combining CT and PET scans in a single examination. |
| imaging. By definition, cancer cells are very active, | | | | With this advance, the patient now receives both the |
| multiplying at an abnormal rate. PET scanners visualize | | | | CT and PET scans before the exam is complete. |
| the activity of the body's cells, making it possible to see | | | | Rather than attempting to switch back and forth |
| active cancer growths before other technologies like | | | | between film images or make sense of misaligned CT |
| CT can. PET also has the additional capability of | | | | and PET images, radiologists can examine PET and |
| showing a physician whether a growth is cancerous or | | | | CT scans directly on top of one another. As a result, |
| not. | | | | diagnoses are more precise and radiologists are more |
| A Terrific Team | | | | confident in their findings. |
| Imaging experts have recently begun appreciating the | | | | Since the conception of PET/CT scanning, this new |
| complementary uses of PET and CT scanning and | | | | innovation has proven to be an important tool in the |
| have spent the last few years searching for better | | | | battle against cancer. Thanks to clearer and more |
| ways to combine them. Originally, imaging professionals | | | | aligned images, radiologists can better pinpoint |
| performed CT and PET scans separately--sometimes | | | | cancerous cells, helping oncologists to target radiation |
| even on different days. A radiologist would then take | | | | therapy directly on cancerous cells. More precise |
| the separate images and evaluate them side by side, | | | | radiation therapy means less radiation exposure to |
| searching for irregularities that may indicate cancer. | | | | surrounding, healthy tissues, which lowers side effects |
| Computer software eventually made it possible to | | | | of radiation therapy. |