Cape Pet-Ct Centre, Cape Town

New imaging technology merges PET and CT into one combined scanning system. The anatomical pictures produced by the CT scanner are merged with the molecular images from PET. For instance, a tumor evident with CT can be confirmed as either malignant or benign with PET. Once obtained the results of PET/CT scans are digitally fused together providing complete information on cancer location and abnormal cellular metabolism.

Patients are injected with a very small amount of a radioactive tracer probe attached to glucose. The PET scanner detects signals from the tracer as the glucose travels through the body.
Patients are injected with a very small amount of a radioactive tracer probe attached to glucose. The PET scanner detects signals from the tracer as the glucose travels through the body.
If an area in an organ is cancerous, the signals will be stronger than the surrounding tissue because cancer consumes more glucose as it grows out of control. The PET records the signals and then creates an image on a computer screen. These images are fused with those from the CT scanner (part of the same machine)