Positron Emission Tomography

PET or Positron Emission Tomography is another 3D imaging technique for living organic beings. It produces a three-dimensional image or picture of functional processes in the body in a similar fashion to SPECT systems. Essentially, it slices the body into tens of thousands of slides using gamma rays. These can then be stacked together to create a 3D rendition.

The gamma irradiator is run down the body from multiple angles such that each slice of the body is captured from multiple vantage points, typically only a few degrees apart.

Where PET differs from SPECT is that in SPECT the gamma emissions are read directly, after they pass through the body. With PET, imaging is performed via tracers inside the body which absorb the radiation, and emit it back, from within the body. These tracers are sometimes ingested, sometimes injected into the bloodstream directly. Eventually they pass out of the body on their own.

See Also: SPET, SPECT

Below, we offer a selection of links from our resource databases which may match this term.

PET

Positron Emission Tomography

Tomography

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Fast Adaptive Optics for 3D Medical Imaging
One of the greatest problems with tomography based medical scanners, is what happens when the patient moves (breathes, or pumps blood). The distortion that occurs in each slice has long been correctable, but takes a long time to correct. With near-instant correction now possible, real-time medical scanning is starting to look like a true possibility.

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