Question

functional; produces a three-dimensional image of the functioning of the brain. radioactive glucose is injected into the body and, as it decays, it releases a positron which is picked up by the scanner.

Answer 1

Positron emission tomography (PET scans) is an advanced imaging technique that uses a radioactive glucose analog to produce three-dimensional images of metabolic activity within the body, aiding in the diagnosis and monitoring of various health conditions.

Step-by-step explanation:

The subject in question is positron emission tomography (PET scans), which is a sophisticated medical imaging technique used to observe metabolic processes in the brain and other parts of the body. PET scans utilize a radioactive tracer, commonly fludeoxyglucose (FDG) tagged with a positron emitter like F-18, to visualize regions where glucose is consumed, indicating areas of high metabolic activity. As the FDG is metabolized, it emits positrons that collide with electrons, resulting in bursts of gamma radiation detectable by the scanner, which are then transformed into a detailed, three-dimensional image illustrating how different parts of the body function.

Such scans are pivotal in diagnosing and tracking various health conditions, including cancer, heart disease, and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy. The ability of PET scans to show metabolic function, rather than just anatomical structure, makes this technique especially valuable in medical diagnostics and treatment monitoring.

Answer 2

PET scans are medical imaging tools that show the function of bodily tissues by using radioactive glucose to detect metabolic activity, which is particularly useful for identifying cancerous cells due to their heightened glucose consumption. It uses gamma radiation detected by a scanner to create images that help diagnose various conditions, despite it now being less commonly used than fMRI.

Step-by-step explanation:

Understanding Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scans

Positron emission tomography, commonly known as PET scanning, is a diagnostic imaging tool that captures the physiological processes occurring within the body, particularly the brain.

It generates a three-dimensional image of the target area's functional aspects by using a radiotracer, typically a form of radioactive glucose such as fludeoxyglucose (FDG) tagged with a positron emitter like F-18. The FDG is metabolized by the body's tissues, and cancer cells, which have higher metabolic rates, consume glucose more vigorously, thus revealing themselves as bright areas referred to as 'hot spots' during the PET scan imaging process. FDG-PET scans are beneficial for detecting various conditions, including heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, and cancer, due to their ability to show the biological activity and quantify metabolic processes.

The mechanism behind a PET scan involves the radioactive isotope attached to glucose decaying and emitting positrons, which then react with electrons resulting in gamma radiation bursts that the scanner detects. This produces the intricate images that show the functionality of tissues within the brain or other body parts. Although PET scans involve radiation exposure and provide less temporal precision compared to fMRI, they remain an invaluable tool due to their unique functional imaging capabilities, often being combined with computed tomography (CT) for enhanced detail.