Most people are familiar with x-ray images, MRI or CAT scans which have been around for many years. Images like these are useful in giving doctors visual information about the anatomical or structural characteristics of the body.

But today's use of PET imaging in the field of medicine has proven to be nothing less than ground-breaking. Scans of the body using Positron Emission Tomography, or "PET" for short, provide doctors with unique images of the body's organs and tissues that no other technology can.

PET can actually see the chemical makeup inside the body, its tissue and its function - valuable information that would otherwise only be obtainable through surgery, invasive procedures, and in some cases unattainable at all With PET imaging, disease may be detected very early on, often before other diagnostic tests would show any result and sometimes even before symptoms occur. Early, accurate detection is a vital component that allows the treatment of a disease to begin sooner, greatly increasing the chances of a more successful outcome.

PET is also invaluable in the treatment and monitoring of diseases, giving physicians a clear view of the changing status of the disease and effectiveness of the treatment. From the diagnosis and treatment of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, neurological disorders, and many others, PET is making a remarkable impact in the field of medicine.