Positron emission tomography energy metabolism

A relatively new technique that uses radioactivity to study body processes and diagnose malfunctions is commonly called positron emission tomography (PET). In this technique radionuclides that decay by positron emission are incorporated into compounds. For example, brain function can be studied by incorporating 1gC into glucose, which is the main source of energy for the brain. By studying how this labeled glucose is metabolized in the brain, doctors can discover abnormalities caused by diseases such as cancer, Parkinson s disease, and epilepsy. 

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