A PET scan is mainly used to detect and monitor conditions, such as cancers, neurological (brain) disorders and cardiovascular (heart-related) diseases. It can detect early-stage cancers before they can be detected using other imaging techniques, such as CT and MRI scans. It also enables your doctor to determine whether and where a cancer is spreading to other parts of the body.
A PET scan can assist in the planning of surgery for epileptic seizures by showing which part of the brain is responsible for your epilepsy. It is also used to assess Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease because the resulting images can pinpoint areas of the brain that are not functioning normally. Early detection of these neurological disorders leads to more effective treatment.