• PET/CT combines two state-of-the-art technologies. PET (positron emission tomography) identifies metabolic changes in the body's cells, so it can determine if an area is cancerous. However, PET does a poor job of locating the cancer cells in the body. CT (computed tomography) solves the problem. It identifies the body’s structure, so it tells doctors the precise location of the cancer. The PET/CT thus can detect cancer in its very early stages, when it is most treatable. The equipment also combines the two images, which is invaluable for doctors.
  
  What all this means is that scans are more effective in pinpointing affected areas in the body, minimizing the need for exploratory surgery.

• PET/CT is proven to be effective in the diagnosis and treatment of:
  • Breast cancer
  • Colorectal cancer
  • Esophageal carcinoma
  • Head and neck cancers
  • Lung cancer
  • Lymphoma
  • Melanoma
  • Myocardial viability and perfusion imaging
  • Pre-surgical evaluation of partial epilepsy
  • Thyroid cancer

• You will receive an injection of a radioactive "tracer drug," which takes about 45 minutes for the body to absorb. The tracer mimics the way glucose is used in the body. This is important, because most types of cancer cells absorb glucose much faster than do normal cells. Therefore, those that absorb more of the glucose-like substance are likely to be cancerous.
  
  After the tracer is absorbed, the patient lies on a table, which moves through a gantry, or small tunnel. The gantry, which contains a CT scanner and a nuclear medicine camera, spins around the table, capturing high-speed images, including those produced by the tracer's emissions.
  
  A full-body scan takes about 30 minutes, approximately half the time of a traditional PET and CT scan. That can make a big difference in comfort and convenience, especially to seriously ill patients.

• Computed Tomography (otherwise known as CT or "CAT" scanning) combines advanced computers and rotating x-rays to create highly detailed cross sectional computer generated images of body parts and internal organs in order to detect different disease processes. The exam is fast, patient friendly and has the unique ability to detect and diagnose a wide variety of medical conditions and abnormalities. It is frequently used as the primary diagnostic tool for early detection of tumors, infection, inflammatory conditions, stroke, obstructions, trauma and kidney stones. At MIB, these examinations are performed by certified radiologic technologists, and examinations are directly supervised and interpreted by board certified specialists in diagnostic radiology.

• CT can provide detailed cross sectional images and diagnostic information for nearly every part of the body that cannot be provided by conventional x-ray studies:
  • Head: including the brain, eyes, inner ear, and sinuses
  • Neck: including the throat, larynx, lymph nodes, salivary glands and thyroid gland
  • Chest: including the lungs, aorta, heart and mediastinum
  • Abdomen: including the liver, kidneys, pancreas, spleen, bile ducts, gallbladder, aorta and bowel
  • Pelvis: including the prostate, female reproductive organs, bladder and bowel
  • Skeletal system: including the hand, feet, hips, and facial bones
  • Spine: including the lumbar, thoracic and cervical spine

• Yes, your doctor must provide a referral (prescription) in order for you to receive an examination. In addition, some insurance carriers or HMO’s require a precertification. Please discuss this with your doctor and your insurance company or HMO prior to your test.

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an imaging technique used primarily in medical settings to produce high quality images of the inside of the human body. MRI is based on the principles of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), a spectroscopic technique used by scientists to obtain microscopic chemical and physical information about molecules. The technique was called magnetic resonance imaging rather than nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI) because of the negative connotations associated with the word nuclear in the late 1970's. MRI started out as a tomographic imaging technique, that is it produced an image of the NMR signal in a thin slice through the human body. MRI has advanced beyond a tomographic imaging technique to a volume imaging technique.

• An MRI is the modality of choice when your doctor requires top-quality anatomic portrayal, especially soft tissue. Neurologists are just one medical specialty that depends greatly upon MRI for accurate diagnostic information. Neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons and chiropractors as well as your internist also rely greatly on the diagnostic information that an MRI provides. 

• Yes.  It is important to minimize movement in order to achieve the best imaging results. Our relaxed and open environment naturally helps in patient comfort and therefore helps in the patient resting quietly. The patient may bring a family member or friend into the scan room to hold their hand and comfort them during the MRI procedure. 

• They both use computers and are both used for diagnosis, but have very little in common. One of the most important differences between a CT scan and an MRI scan is the fact the CT scans use radiation and MRI scans do not. CT scans are computerized X-rays, MRIs use harmless radio waves and are diagnostically superior to CT scans, especially when evaluating soft tissue. In addition to superior soft tissue detail, MRIs provide much more flexibility in demonstrating cross-sectional planes of the body. Unlike a CT scanner which is relatively limited when it comes to plane selection, an MRI can provide a cross-sectional image taken at any plane in the human body.

What does the MRI scanning center staff need to know about me to prior to taking me into the MRI scanning room?