Wednesday, May 23, 2012 Issue 3   VOLUME 1 ISSUE 3   HOME Example of a positron emission tomography (PET) image CONTENTS The Use of Pergolide May Be Linked to Changes in Heart Valves Results from a Preliminary Study of the Use of Glial Cell-Line Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Parkinson's Disease Hold Promise The Chat Rooms Are Open SEARCH Search for articles containing: SUBSCRIBE Subscribe to WE MOVE News Positron Emission Tomography Plain X-rays or CT scans create images by beaming radiation (X-rays) from a machine through the patient and onto film. Positron emission tomography (PET) uses a different type of radiation (gamma rays) in the form of radioisotopes (compounds that contain radioactive forms of atoms) to create images. The gamma rays used in PET come from material that is “tagged” with a radioisotope that is either injected into the patient or that the patient swallows. Special cameras are used that can “see” the gamma rays, and once the camera has “seen” enough gamma rays, it creates an image on a computer that represents where the radioisotope is located within the body.   Fluorodopa PET uses 18-fluorodopa, a radioactively labeled form of levodopa, that is injected into the patient’s vein. This type PET is extremely sensitive to changes in the number of dopamine cells in the patient’s brain. Patients who have clinical signs of Parkinson’s disease have abnormal fluorodopa PET scans. [PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION]   Supported by an educational grant from the Medtronic Foundation Published by WE MOVE Copyright © 2004 WE MOVE. All rights reserved. TELL A FRIEND   Judith Blazer, Executive Director, WE MOVE   Meghan Murphy, CME and Communications Coordinator   Edited by Richard Robinson, Cate Murray and Joy Leffler

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