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Medical Services
Diagnostic Imaging
The success of cancer treatment is dependent on the accuracy of diagnoses, which are largely based on imaging tests and scans. Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada provide the most advanced imaging available.
Computed Tomography (CT) scans are a valuable procedure used to help diagnose and treat cancer, as CT helps oncologists locate and evaluate tumors.
CT is a diagnostic technology that combines x-rays with computers to produce highly detailed cross-sectional pictures of the body. Except for the injection of a dye (not needed in all cases), this is a painless procedure.
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans used in a patient's cancer care plan can greatly improve a physician’s ability to evaluate cancer, especially at early stages. PET allows a physician to examine large areas of the body in a single scanning session, producing images that are unobtainable using other techniques. PET images can uncover abnormalities that might otherwise go undetected, and can also help identify which abnormalities are malignant and which are benign. This valuable information helps physicians determine the best treatment options.
PET scans are safe and can be performed in a few hours as an outpatient procedure. To receive a PET scan, a patient is be injected with a small amount of radioactive glucose, called a "tracer," that is distributed throughout the body. After relaxing for about an hour, the patient lies on a scanning bed that moves slowly through the PET scanner while it detects the injected tracer. The scanner sends the resulting information to a computer that generates images to be analyzed by a specially-trained radiologist.
To learn more about PET technology, visit:
US
Oncology, PET Overview
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