PET CT, which is considered one of the most effective imaging techniques today, is used in the diagnosis, staging, evaluation of response to treatment and radiotherapy planning processes of many cancers, especially lung, colon, head and neck cancers and lymphomas. PET CT has a great role in determining the epilepsy focus and investigating the presence of viable tissue in the heart after a heart attack. PET CT is an imaging technique that combines the powers of PET (Positron Emission Tomography) and CT (Computerized Tomography), which can provide detailed anatomical information, showing the functions of organs and tissues in the human body at the metabolic level. PET CT, which is used especially in the field of oncology, to detect the tumor, to determine the tumor grade, to evaluate the response to treatment, and in some cases to determine whether the existing mass is benign or malignant, has been widely used in our country as well as all over the world in the last 2 years.
PET CT examination method is most commonly used for oncological purposes such as investigating malignancy in known masses, staging of tumors, post-treatment follow-up, evaluation and early detection of recurrences, determination of response to treatment, staging of the primary tumor and determination of the course of the tumor, and determination of the biopsy site in a known mass.
Most cancers are highly curable if diagnosed early. For example, the 5-year survival rate in patients with early detection of breast cancer is over 80%. In many cancers, it is also very important to determine whether there is spread to the surrounding tissues or lymph nodes, that is, whether there is metastasis. Because one of the most important facts in the treatment of cancer is how it spreads to the organs in the body. Since it is possible to see the whole body at the same time in the images obtained with PET CT, it can also be evaluated whether the disease has spread to another organ.