positron emission tomography (PET)
Positron emission tomography, also called PET or a PET scan, is a diagnostic exam. It uses small amounts of radioactive materials called radiotracers, a special camera and a computer to help evaluate your organ and tissue functions. By identifying body changes at the cellular level, PET may detect the early onset of disease before it is evident on other imaging tests. See the PET/CT page for additional information.