Navigating Cancer Care: The Role of PET CT Scans in Treatment Monitoring
A cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming, prompting a whirlwind of questions and concerns. One crucial aspect of navigating your treatment journey is understanding the role of various diagnostic tools. Among these, PET CT scans play a significant role in monitoring treatment response and guiding further management decisions. What is a PET CT scan? A PET CT scan combines two imaging techniques: positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT). The PET scan utilizes a small amount of radioactive tracer, a sugar-like substance absorbed by rapidly growing cells, including cancer cells. The CT scan provides detailed anatomical images of your body. By combining these, a PET CT scan reveals areas with increased metabolic activity, potentially indicating the presence of cancer or monitoring its response to treatment. How does it help monitor treatment response? During your treatment journey, your doctor may order a PET CT scan at specific intervals to assess its ef