Why is glucose used in PET scans?

For example, in PET scans of the brain, a radioactive atom is applied to glucose (blood sugar) to create a radionuclide called fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), because the brain uses glucose for its metabolism.

What is radioactive glucose?

A radioactive form of glucose (sugar) often used during a positive emission tomography (PET) scan, a type of imaging test. In PET, a small amount of radioactive glucose is injected into a vein, and a scanner makes a picture of where the glucose is being used in the body.

How does sugar affect cancer cells?

All kinds of cells, including cancer cells, depend on blood sugar (glucose) for energy. But giving more sugar to cancer cells doesn’t make them grow faster. Likewise, depriving cancer cells of sugar doesn’t make them grow more slowly.

What happens if you have sugar before a PET scan?

The radioisotope that is used in PET imaging, fluorine 18 fluorodeoxyglucose or 18F-FDG, is a glucose transporter. This radioisotope will go to any metabolically active areas in the body. If the glucose levels are elevated from food or drink the patient consumed prior to the test, the level of insulin will increase.

What does a PET scan detect?

Positron emission tomography (PET) scans detect early signs of cancer, heart disease and brain disorders. An injectable radioactive tracer detects diseased cells. A combination PET-CT scan produces 3D images for a more accurate diagnosis.

What are PET scans used to detect?

A PET scan is an effective way to help identify a variety of conditions, including cancer, heart disease and brain disorders. Your doctor can use this information to help diagnose, monitor or treat your condition.

Does a PET scan show all cancers?

Not all cancers show up on a PET scan. PET scan results are often used with other imaging and lab test results. Other tests are often needed to find out whether an area that collected a lot of radioactive material is non-cancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant).

What do the results of a PET scan mean?

What causes cancer cells?

Cancer is caused by changes (mutations) to the DNA within cells. The DNA inside a cell is packaged into a large number of individual genes, each of which contains a set of instructions telling the cell what functions to perform, as well as how to grow and divide.

What do cancer cells need to survive?

Cancer cells have the same needs as normal cells. They need a blood supply to bring oxygen and nutrients to grow and survive. When a tumour is very small, it can easily grow, and it gets oxygen and nutrients from nearby blood vessels.

What does a PET scan reveal?

PET scans can help detect cancer and how far it has spread. PET scans can show solid tumors in the brain, prostate, thyroid, lungs, and cervix. The scans can also evaluate the occurrence of colorectal, lymphoma, melanoma, and pancreatic tumors.

How long are you radioactive after a PET scan?

What happens after a PET scan? After the test, you can go about your day unless your doctor gives you other instructions. However, because radioactive material will remain in your body for about 12 hours, you’ll want to limit your contact with both pregnant women and infants during this time.

What can a PET scan tell you about cancer?

The PET scan indicates whether there is strong uptake of sugar and is, thus, useful in diagnosing the presence of most cancers. The PET/CT scanner produces an image of the anatomy fused with the functional images of the use of sugar by cells. PET/CT imaging helps to determine where a primary tumor is located.

What is a PET scan for sugar absorption?

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a scanning technique that tracks the uptake of sugar throughout healthy and abnormal tissues of the entire body. The PET scan is a method that enables us to see function rather than anatomy. PET scans identify areas in the body that are absorbing sugar.

What type of radioactive material is used in PET scans?

Positron emission tomography (PET) scans: PET scans usually use a form of radioactive sugar. Body cells take in different amounts of the sugar, depending on how fast they are growing.

What can a PET scan tell you about metabolism?

The PET scan uses a radioactive drug (tracer) to show both normal and abnormal metabolic activity. A PET scan can often detect the abnormal metabolism of the tracer in diseases before the disease shows up on other imaging tests, such as computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).