PET Scan Vs. CT Scan

PET and CT scans work together to detect illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. Learning the difference between them will help you understand which scan you need and how they work together to diagnose illness.

Differences

• A positron emission tomography (PET) scan detects where in your body radioactive material is gathering to discern the diseased areas. Meanwhile, a computerized tomography, or CT, scan is a more detailed version of the X-ray that allows doctors to see the details of a particular area or organ.

Functions

• A PET scan can be used to direct a doctor's attention to the location of a disease in the patient's body, while the more detailed CT scan focuses on the structure of the area to assess the damage.

Example

• An initial PET scan may reveal the location of cancer cells in a patient's body. The CT scan then reveals the size, shape, and other details of the diseased area or organ in an elaborate image.

Significance

• PET and CT scans can detect tumors, cardiovascular disease and neurological problems.

Considerations

• PET and CT scans work together to locate and assess disease, and many new PET scanners combine the two machines to provide the most comprehensive images possible of the body.