PET scanning adds a whole new dimension to a physician's ability to diagnose and direct treatment of disease.  PET scans show metabolic function and abnormal molecular cell activity versus anatomic structures, thus PET scans can detect very small cancerous tumors as well as subtle changes in the brain and heart.

All living cells in the body utilize glucose (sugars) as a source of energy.  In PET scanning, the patient is injected with a radioactive tracer tagged with simple sugars.  Cancerous cells and metabolically active organs metabolize these sugars much faster than normal cells.  As these sugars are consumed, they begin to decay and emit positrons.  These positrons collide with electrons, giving off gamma rays.  These gamma rays are captured and processed by the computer into images that indicate metabolic 'hot spots.'  Since the disease process begins at a biochemical level long before it presents structural changes, the information from a PET scan can give physicians a signal that there's a problem long before anything would show up on a conventional modality.

Alone, PET scans are invaluable, but at Delnor we go one better and couple it with CT scanning.  Both modalities are critical in diagnosing disease.  Until PET/CT simultaneous scanning came along, physicians were forced to lay one piece of film over another to determine the location of the abnormality within the body.  PET/CT scanning provides the detailed anatomical information of CT on the same piece of film with the metabolic information of the PET scan; offering the ability to target a disease site with a single exam.

Advantages of PET

• PET can often detect disease much earlier, which allows for earlier treatment and hopefully cure.
• PET shows the 'staging' of disease giving physicians invaluable information about the disease's progression and metastases (spreading).
• PET can show whether a tumor is benign or malignant (cancerous).
• PET monitors the effectiveness of treatment.

Scheduling a PET/CT exam at Delnor

PET/CT scanning is offered through a mobile unit that serves Delnor on a weekly basis.  To schedule an exam, call Central Scheduling at (630)762-6400.
A physician order is required.