PET scan

noun
1.
an image obtained by positron emission tomography, using a PET scanner.
2.
an examination performed with a PET scanner.
Origin
P(ositron) E(mission) T(omography)
PET scan in Medicine

PET scan (pět)
n.
A cross-sectional image produced by a PET scanner.

PET scan in Science
PET scan
  (pět)   
Short for positron emission tomography scan. A cross-sectional image of a metabolic process in a human or animal body produced by positron emission tomography.
PET scan in Culture

PET scan definition


Acronym for positron emission tomography, a medical test that is especially useful in showing how tissue or an organ is functioning, as opposed to just showing structure. In a PET scan, radioactive atoms are introduced into the body, where their chemical behavior is exactly the same as similar nonradioactive atoms. The positrons emitted when these nuclei decay collide with electrons in surrounding tissue, producing gamma rays that can then be detected by instruments outside the body.

Note: A PET scan can show the blood flow through the brain, areas of high metabolic activity that indicate potential tumors, as well as areas of damaged heart tissue.