Advancements in Molecular Imaging: The Pivotal Role of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) in Diagnosing and Staging Cancer, Neurological Disorders, and Cardiovascular Disease by Visualizing Real-Time Metabolic and Functional Activity
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a powerful nuclear medicine imaging technique that provides functional insights by measuring metabolic activity, often using a radioactive tracer like FDG, a glucose analog. This allows clinicians to detect diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's, and heart disease at their earliest stages, long before anatomical changes become visible on standard scans. The ability to quantify regional glucose uptake is critical for assessing tumor aggressiveness and monitoring the effectiveness of chemotherapy, thus guiding personalized patient treatment plans.