Your primary care physician or your referring specialist will be the best judge of that. PET scans are particularly useful in diagnosing many types of cancer, including ovarian, lung , brain, and skin; coronary heart disease; and all types of neurological problems, such as epilepsy and Alzheimer's disease. For children, PET is a powerful tool for diagnosing brain tumors, other cancers, and epilepsy.

PET can effectively pinpoint the source of many of the most common cancers and give physicians important early information about heart and neurological diseases, eliminating the need for redundant tests and diagnostic surgical procedures.

Because the radioisotope used in a PET scan is short- lived, the amount of radiation exposure the patient receives is the same as from two chest X-rays.

In most cases, a PET scan will begin with an injection of the radioisotope agent into the patient's arm. The patient will be asked to rest quietly for a short period of time as the tracer circulates throughout the body. Then the patient will be positioned on a scanning bed and scanned. As the images of the body are obtained, the patient will be asked to remain very still. The imaging time varies with the procedure, but generally takes about one hour.

Patients typically do not experience any reactions as a result of the PET scan, because the tracer material is processed by the body naturally. Therefore, no side effects are expected.

Yes, after the injection of a minute amount of the trace solution into the patient's arm, the patient relaxes while the scan is performed.

Traditionally, PET has been used in oncology (the study of tumors), neurology (the study of diseases and disorders of the nervous system), and cardiology (the study of diseases and functioning of the heart ). PET provides the physician with information about the body's chemistry not available through any other procedure. Unlike Computed Tomography (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), which look at anatomy, PET evaluates metabolic activity. PET is quickly becoming a leading diagnostic tool used to detect all types of cancer.

Seek a second opinion or ask that your doctor speak with a nuclear medicine physician. By learning more about PET, you can explain to your doctor why you want a PET scan.

After you register, you will be escorted to the PET prep room. The radioisotope or FDG is injected into the patient. When it is time for the PET scan to begin, you will lie on a table that slides into the scanner, a donut-shaped machine that resembles a CT scanner. The table will slide through the PET scanner. The painless procedure can take from one to two hours.