PET / CT scan -- what is the difference?

[SherriT]

I'm confused and hope that someone could clairfy what the difference is between a PET and CT scan?

[michele u]

sherri,

PET is a newer test that using sugar intake to "lite" up the scans. Cancer uses sugar and the nuclear dye goes to the more "active" cells and that being cancer. You can see a lot smaller of a tumor with PET. It does have alot of false postives, like my thyroid lit up one time. It's not the greatest for brain tumors or bone mets. CT is better for soft tissue things like liver,abdomen,lung. MRI is best for brain tumors. Bone nuclear scan is best for bone mets. A PET is a good overall scan for screening, but VERY expensive, like 4-5 thousand dollars in some places. CT is the cheapest. Most PET scans use PET/CT scanners that use both techniques.

[R.B.]

There are some links on pet/spect/ct in the articles of interest section.

Here it is

http://www.her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=21937


There are other posts as well.

You may find you can access them through the search facility - click on search above right and enter the term you are looking for.

RB

[SherriT]

Thanks for the information.

Michele U.: Regarding the cost of having a PET scan, I guess I better be thankful that I live in Canada....

R.B.: I will check-out the articles of interest section. Thanks.