A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is an imaging test that helps reveal how your tissues and organs are functioning. A PET scan uses a radioactive drug (tracer) to show this activity. This scan can sometimes detect disease before it shows up on other imaging tests.

The tracer may be injected, swallowed or inhaled, depending on which organ or tissue is being studied. The tracer collects in areas of your body that have higher levels of chemical activity, which often correspond to areas of disease. On a PET scan, these areas show up as bright spots.

At Bayside imaging, we offer the following scans and tracers:

• PET/CT – Axumin (Prostate Cancer)
• PET/CT – FDG
• PET/CT – FES (Cerianna) (Breast Cancer)
• PET/CT – Netspot (Ga-68 Dotatate) (Neuroendocine Cancers)
• PET/CT – Neuraceq (Alzheimers)
• PET/CT – PSMA (Pylarify) (Prostate Cancer)

Uses

A PET scan is useful in revealing or evaluating several conditions, including many cancers, heart disease and brain disorders. Often, PET images are combined with CT or MRI scans to create special views.