First semiconductor-based PET scanner demonstrates potential to aid in early diagnosis of disease
Monday, June 16, 2008 - 11:49
in Health & Medicine
Evaluations of the first-ever prototype positron emission tomography (PET) brain scanner that uses semiconductor detectors indicate that the scanner could advance the quality and spatial resolution of PET imaging, according to researchers at SNM's 55th Annual Meeting. The prototype scanner already has proven successful in better characterizing partial epilepsy and nasopharyngeal cancer. Eventually, the technology could be used to provide early-stage diagnoses of other cancers, neurological disorders and cardiovascular disease; assess patients' responses to therapies; and determine the efficacy of new drugs.