Advances in PET-CT Imaging

Nuclear medicine (NM) is a medical specialty that relies on the administration of radioactive materials to diagnose and treat disease. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a subdiscipline of NM that utilizes positron emitting radionuclides to generate images of the biodistribution of these radiopharmaceuticals. Performed in conjunction with Computed Tomography (CT), this distribution may be fused with anatomic images, facilitating interpretation by radiologists and NM physicians. In recent years, advances in detector technology and the development of new radiopharmaceuticals have expanded the role of PET for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications. This presentation provides a general overview of NM with a specific focus on PET. The design and function of PET scanners will be discussed as well as the role of the clinical nuclear medicine physicist. Finally, advances in scanner hardware and the development of new radiopharmaecuticals will be introduced with a focus on theranostic applications.