There are differences between a PET scan and an MRI scan. A PET scan reveals changes in tissue or an organ at the cellular level. An MRI scan does not. A combination PET MRI scan in Burbank CA combines the two; positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. In a single session, very detailed images of the inside of a body are taken.
Why Are PET MRI Scans Done?
PET MRI scans help doctors to make an accurate diagnosis of conditions such as epilepsy and body tumors, including brain tumors. The scan result helps the doctor decide on the most effective course of treatment. If someone is suffering from seizures that fail to respond to drugs, the result of a PET MRI scan of the brain can help the doctor decide if surgery is in order.
How Does the Scanner Work?
A PET MRI scan is two tests in one. By combining the two, very detailed images of the body are made available to doctors.
The PET scan requires a radioactive tracer. A very small amount of the tracer is injected into the bloodstream. The tracer moves around the body, depending on the amount of energy required. In the case of a patient suffering from seizures, doctors want to know where in the brain they are happening. In this case, the tracer used is glucose. As the brain uses a greater amount of glucose where the seizures happen, the tracer goes to this area should a seizure occur while the scan is in progress.
An MRI uses magnets to make an image of the body and a picture of the area under observation. The PET scan identifies the location of any abnormality.
A PET MRI scan in Burbank CA is perfectly safe. No X-Rays are used, so there is no fear of radiation. The amount of radiation used in a PET scan is extremely small and can be cleared from the body in one day. For more information visit Glendale MRI.
