Athens Cancer Center is your source for state-of-the-art radiation oncology. Athens Cancer Center offers a comprehensive approach to cancer treatment with unsurpassed superior service. Athens Cancer Center was the first practice to provide radiation oncology to the Athens, Ohio area and they have been doing so for over 36 years. Lead by two Radiation Oncologists, Athens Cancer Center offers innovative radiation treatment for a variety of cancer types. Feel confident that when you visit Athens Cancer Center, our professional staff will utilize the latest technical advances to ensure that you receive the most effective care possible. Our cancer care specialists are committed to providing you with timely and complete personalized care integrated with maximum comfort, encouragement, and compassion.

WHAT IS PET?

PET (Positron Emission Tomography) is a powerful diagnostic tool that, in many cases, renders answers that no other imaging test can provide. Used in conjunction with CT (Computed Tomography) imaging or on its own, PET is a non-invasive procedure that helps physicians in their diagnosis and treatment of certain diseases. PET imaging can reveal metabolic changes in your body that will be further examined by your physician.

WHY ARE PET AND CT USED TOGETHER?

PET/CT represents the next level of diagnostic imaging power for oncology. PET detects metabolic signals in the body while CT provides a detailed picture of the internal anatomy, revealing the location, size, and shape of cellular activity. Alone, each imaging test is effective for a wide variety of applications. But when the results of PET and CT scans are “fused” together, the combined image provides complete information on cancer location and metabolism.

Clinical advantages:

• Detailed diagnostic information not available from other imaging tests

• Earlier detection of disease with fewer invasive diagnostic procedures

• Improved staging of the disease and better monitoring of cancer recurrences

• More effective tracking of the results of treatment therapy

• Can contribute to lowering the overall cost of care

• Patient care advantages:

  • With the push of a button, both PET and CT information can be obtained at the same time—only one appointment is necessary

  • Unique, open design allows our staff to interact with patients during the exam, preventing the claustrophobic effect that a completely enclosed gantry can have on some patients

  • Relatively short acquisition times (usually less than one hour)

 

WHAT ARE THE CLINICAL APPLICATIONS OF PET?

Most common applications of PET are in the fields of oncology, cardiology and neurology. ONCOLOGY (cancer) is the most important application of PET/CT and provides vital diagnostic information that can alter the course of cancer treatment and sometimes help in avoiding unwarranted surgery. PET and/or PET/CT provides critical information about whether a tumor is malignant or not; the extent of cancer; whether it has spread to other organs or not; monitoring of cancer recurrences; and monitoring the effectiveness of chemotherapy or radiotherapy. CARDIOLOGY (heart) is another important application, where PET provides a high level of accuracy for measurement of myocardial perfusion and viability. This procedure enables the clinician to determine the value and course of treatment for patients with heart disease. For NEUROLOGY (brain), PET provides accurate information to localize the areas of the brain causing epileptic seizures and to determine if surgery is an option. In the future, it is possible that PET will be accepted as an imaging method of choice for such conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.

Call Athens Cancer Center in Athens, Ohio at (740) 566-4600!

Athens Cancer Center is your source for state-of-the-art radiation oncology. Athens Cancer Center offers a comprehensive approach to cancer treatment with unsurpassed superior service. Athens Cancer Center was the first practice to provide radiation oncology to the Athens, Ohio area and they have been doing so for over 36 years. Lead by two Radiation Oncologists, Athens Cancer Center offers innovative radiation treatment for a variety of cancer types. Feel confident that when you visit Athens Cancer Center, our professional staff will utilize the latest technical advances to ensure that you receive the most effective care possible. Our cancer care specialists are committed to providing you with timely and complete personalized care integrated with maximum comfort, encouragement, and compassion.

WHAT IS PET?

PET (Positron Emission Tomography) is a powerful diagnostic tool that, in many cases, renders answers that no other imaging test can provide. Used in conjunction with CT (Computed Tomography) imaging or on its own, PET is a non-invasive procedure that helps physicians in their diagnosis and treatment of certain diseases. PET imaging can reveal metabolic changes in your body that will be further examined by your physician.

WHY ARE PET AND CT USED TOGETHER?

PET/CT represents the next level of diagnostic imaging power for oncology. PET detects metabolic signals in the body while CT provides a detailed picture of the internal anatomy, revealing the location, size, and shape of cellular activity. Alone, each imaging test is effective for a wide variety of applications. But when the results of PET and CT scans are “fused” together, the combined image provides complete information on cancer location and metabolism.

Clinical advantages:

• Detailed diagnostic information not available from other imaging tests

• Earlier detection of disease with fewer invasive diagnostic procedures

• Improved staging of the disease and better monitoring of cancer recurrences

• More effective tracking of the results of treatment therapy

• Can contribute to lowering the overall cost of care

• Patient care advantages:

  • With the push of a button, both PET and CT information can be obtained at the same time—only one appointment is necessary

  • Unique, open design allows our staff to interact with patients during the exam, preventing the claustrophobic effect that a completely enclosed gantry can have on some patients

  • Relatively short acquisition times (usually less than one hour)

 

WHAT ARE THE CLINICAL APPLICATIONS OF PET?

Most common applications of PET are in the fields of oncology, cardiology and neurology. ONCOLOGY (cancer) is the most important application of PET/CT and provides vital diagnostic information that can alter the course of cancer treatment and sometimes help in avoiding unwarranted surgery. PET and/or PET/CT provides critical information about whether a tumor is malignant or not; the extent of cancer; whether it has spread to other organs or not; monitoring of cancer recurrences; and monitoring the effectiveness of chemotherapy or radiotherapy. CARDIOLOGY (heart) is another important application, where PET provides a high level of accuracy for measurement of myocardial perfusion and viability. This procedure enables the clinician to determine the value and course of treatment for patients with heart disease. For NEUROLOGY (brain), PET provides accurate information to localize the areas of the brain causing epileptic seizures and to determine if surgery is an option. In the future, it is possible that PET will be accepted as an imaging method of choice for such conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.

Call Athens Cancer Center in Athens, Ohio at (740) 566-4600!