A PET (positron emission tomography) scan is a diagnostic tool that detects soft tissues within the body and can detect maladies in them. It is different from an X-ray that shows bone structure but similar to an MRI that uses magnetic resonance to create images of the internal structures of the body. A PET scan is different from an MRI in that it illustrates cellular metabolic changes within tissue, giving early signs of disease starting or spreading. Reading a PET scan requires understanding what is normal and what is not.
Instructions
1. Review the anatomy of the area of the PET scan. If this is a chest scan to review lung health, use an anatomy book to locate the organs and soft tissues around the lungs. Knowing what should be there is the first step in understanding what is normal in your PET scan.
2. Locate abnormalities in the PET scan. Normal tissue will be various degrees of gray in the PET scan with problems showing as bright white spots. Some PET scans will inject a radioactive isotope prior to doing the scan to have "hot spots" light up--these bright areas are malignancies that absorb the isotope.
3. Determine the value of the bright spots found on the scan. These are measured by SUVs (Standardized Uptake Values) with a range of 0 to 15. Non-cancerous ranges are below 2, with most cancers starting at 2 or higher. This should be noted on the scan in the margins by the radiologist. If you have had more than one scan, compare the values to determine if the value is going up (bad sign) or down (good sign).
4. Confirm the location of the abnormality and consult with your physician regarding the implications of the problem and the next steps to take. A PET scan prevents invasive biopsies for most diagnostic means, although a biopsy would more than likely be the next step if a malady is found on your PET scan.
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