Role of PET and SPECT Scans Functional Imaging Technique in Radiological Diagnosis

Abstract

In the medical imaging field, nuclear medicine employs a variety of image analysis methodologies, including single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET). These techniques offer the radiologist supplementary information that aids in the precise analysis and diagnosis of various diseases. A PET system is a functional imaging technique that relies on the capture of two gamma photons from a radioisotope that has accumulated in a target, whereas a SPECT scan is a functional imaging technique that relies on the capture of a single gamma photon from a radioisotope within a target. Radiopharmaceutical materials are indispensable for PET and SPECT examinations. In order to determine the localisation and distribution of radioisotopes within the body, they are designed as molecules that transport radioisotopes to the target. In summary, the primary distinction between SPECT/CT and PET/CT imaging techniques is the manner in which they detect the photons emitted by radiopharmaceuticals that have been loaded with radioisotopes after being absorbed by the body. The selection of radioactive material and radiopharmaceuticals is contingent upon the target's metabolism process within the body, the radionuclide's physical half-life, and the molecule's size.