More about PET
About Molecular Imaging / PET
PET radiopharmaceuticals comprise radioisotopes which are attached to "carrier" molecules. The PET radiopharmaceuticals target specific organs and the radioisotope emits radiations, which are then detected by PET cameras. These imaging modalities then reconstruct the data and an image is produced providing details of the organ being diagnosed.
The PET radiopharmaceuticals used typically depend on the type of modality for which they are being used. The most commonly used PET radiopharmaceutical is FDG (2-fluoro-2deoxy-D-glucose).
PET's whole-body imaging capability helps physicians improve their ability to detect and determine the location, extent and stage of cancer, neurological disorders and cardiac disease. By improving diagnosis, PET scans aid physicians in selecting better courses of treatment, as well as assessing whether treatment is effective or should be changed.
A snapshot of the PET industry
The principal participants in the PET molecular imaging market are:
Manufacturers of capital equipment: cyclotrons, synthisers, dispensers (collectively used to make patient doses) and camera/scanners (used to "x-ray" the patient).
PET Central Pharmacy operators: produce single, sterile, injectible unit PET molecular biomarkers. Patient doses are sold to hospital's nuclear medicine departments.
Hospital/Medical centres: physicians inject the PET unit doses into patients who are then scanned using a PET camera.