Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is an imaging procedure that adds an important new dimension to a physician's ability to diagnose and manage disease. Vero Radiology understands the importance of this tool and that is why we offer the top-of-the-line GE Advanced PET Scanner. Our facility is the only one in Indian River County to offer the same scanner that is in use at such prestigious institutions as Duke University and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

PET, a powerful tool, detects changes in cellular function instead of detecting changes in the physical size or structure of Internal organs, as other technologies do. Since these functional changes take place before physical changes occur, PET can provide information that enables the physician to make an earlier diagnosis. If diseases or abnormalities have already been detected by an imaging exam, such as a CT or MRI study, PET can often characterize the cellular function early in the course of the disease. These capabilities can translate into faster initiation of the best possible treatment while avoiding more invasive or exploratory surgery.

Currently, PET is used primarily in Oncology, Neurology and Cardiology.

PET is a unique, safe, painless and cost effective medical technology utilized to show the glucose uptake in the body. It is known that cancer cells use more energy (glucose) faster than normal cells, so they show up as "hot spots" on PET images.

PET can provide earlier detection because it not only identities a tumor that was suspected but can show additional tumors, or metastasis that may not be seen on other imaging modalities. Thus patient treatment can be altered for the best possible outcome.

PET is especially useful for detecting and staging cancer, differentiating scar tissue from tumor and benign from malignant lesions.

Indications for PET imaging:

PET PREP INFO