Expert: Meir Wetzler <B>M. D.</B> - 1/20/2008

Question
QUESTION: what is a pep scan and what does having one involve

ANSWER: Dear Ria,
Did you mean PET scan?
Thx, Meir.

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QUESTION: Yes I do mean a pet scan

Answer
Dear Ria,
PET scan is using a nuclear tracer that incorporates into the glucose metabolism. Cancer cells have higher glucose metabolism than the cells from which they arise. The tracer is incorporated into the cells but by the nature of its structure, it cannot be processed by the normal enzymes and therefore gets "trapped" in the cells. The difference between the tumor and the background tissues is used for detection purposes by the scanner.
Thx, Meir.