POSITRON-EMISSION TOMOGRAPHY – THE MOST ADVANCED IMAGING DIAGNOSTIC METHOD IN MEDICINE

Abstract

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a state-of-the-art imaging technique that has an extremely high potential for evaluating metabolic processes in the body. The mechanism of action is based on the introduction into the body of a radioactive isotope of glucose (most often 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose, 18F-FDG), after which its accumulation in various organs and tissues is measured. Unlike other imaging methods, PET does not provide structural information about the patient's anatomy, but provides functional information based on the interaction of the radioisotope at the molecular level in relation to physiological processes. In order to facilitate the localization of areas with increased accumulation of the respective radiotracer, PET is usually combined with computed tomography (CT). This type of research is most widely used in neoplastic diseases (especially for the detection of metastases), diseases of the thyroid gland, kidneys, and other internal organs. Its use in the field of veterinary medicine is limited due to its high cost, which is why it is an insufficiently studied imaging-diagnostic method, characterized by huge diagnostic potential.