PETizotopokkal

PETizotopokkal refers to the use of radioisotopes in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging. PET is a nuclear medicine imaging technique that allows physicians and researchers to observe and measure changes in the body's metabolic processes, blood flow, regional chemical composition, and absorption of radiopharmaceuticals. The key to PET imaging lies in the administration of a radiotracer, which is a biologically active molecule tagged with a positron-emitting radionuclide. Commonly used radionuclides include fluorine-18 (F-18), carbon-11 (C-11), nitrogen-13 (N-13), and oxygen-15 (O-15). When these radionuclides decay, they emit positrons. A positron is the antiparticle of an electron, having the same mass but a positive charge. Upon emission, the positron travels a short distance within the tissue before encountering an electron. This annihilation event produces two photons (gamma rays) that travel in opposite directions. The PET scanner detects these pairs of photons. By analyzing the timing and location of these photon detections, the scanner can reconstruct a 3D image showing the distribution of the radiotracer within the body. The choice of radiotracer depends on the specific biological process being studied. For example, F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is widely used to assess glucose metabolism, making it valuable in oncology for detecting and staging cancers, as well as in neurology for studying conditions like Alzheimer's disease and epilepsy. The PETizotopokkal thus enables the visualization of physiological functions at the molecular level, offering significant diagnostic and research capabilities.