PET/CT and Brain Disorders Procedures

Brain disorders come in various forms, affecting elder and young alike. PET/CT is being used to help a number of brain disorders including:

• Alzheimer’s
• Epilepsy
• Parkinson’s disease
• Stroke evaluation
• Brain tumours

PET/CT can help with the above brain disorders in the following ways:

• Identify characteristic brain images for Alzheimer’s disease in its very early stages.
• Useful in epilepsy assessment
• Helps in the evaluation of vascular disorders, including stroke.
• Used to assess blood flow and the metabolism of the brain to aid the preparation for removing a tumor

PET/CT works for brain disorders as brain cells use glucose as fuel. The more active the brain cells are the more glucose they will consume as fuel. Radioactive glucose (FDG) is used to trace the most active areas and less active areas do not show up as readily as more active areas, as good brain cells will consume less FDG.

A computer, using absorption data, shows the levels of brain activity as a "color coded brain map". One color (usually red) indicates more active brain areas, where another color (usually blue) indicates less active areas.