Molecular Imaging: Positron Emission Tomography

Positron emission tomography is also known as PET. Radioactive material is used for tracing the emissions of gamma rays through a body. These rays are then detected because they emit positrons. The moment these positrons meet electrons, their ensuing annihilation can be seen at a short distance of a couple of millimetres. These produce two gamma ray photons that mauled in opposite directions to each other.

These photons that have been emitted at the same time are detected by a scanner and images are formed of this emission. These images have high-resolution density. A number of these images are gathered together. They can lie upon any axis of the body. This PET imaging is normally done to look at the imaging of the brain tumours, cancer cells, infection imaging bone imaging and thyroid imaging.

This dark knowledge is normally used when doctors want to see a three-dimensional picture or image of all the functional processes, which are happening in a body. This can be seen by the action of the gamma ray pairs, which are emitted by the action of a tracer that takes the form of a radionuclide. This tracer is capable of emitting positrons and the moment it is introduced into body, it can be tracked very easily.

The concentration of the tracer and the places where it goes can be easily reconstructed, with the help of computer analysis and x-ray scans done by CT machines. The image that is finally obtained is three-dimensional. Every single portion of the image can be sliced and looked from different views to get the complete picture of the diseased tissue.