Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques, and Equipment

Positron-Emission Tomography

An imaging technique using compounds labelled with short-lived positron-emitting radionuclides (such as carbon-11, nitrogen-13, oxygen-15 and fluorine-18) to measure cell metabolism. It has been useful in study of soft tissues such as CANCER; CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM; and brain. SINGLE-PHOTON EMISSION-COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY is closely related to positron emission tomography, but uses isotopes with longer half-lives and resolution is lower.

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

An imaging technique using compounds labelled with short-lived positron-emitting radionuclides (such as carbon-11, nitrogen-13, oxygen-15 and fluorine-18) to measure cell metabolism. It has been useful in study of soft tissues such as CANCER; CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM; and brain. SINGLE-PHOTON EMISSION-COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY is closely related to positron emission tomography, but uses isotopes with longer half-lives and resolution is lower.

MeSH Record

Classification

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MeSH Record

Synonyms

14 entry terms
  • PET Imaging
  • PET Scan
  • Positron-Emission Tomography Imaging
  • Tomography, Positron-Emission
  • Imaging, PET
  • Imaging, Positron-Emission Tomography
  • PET Imagings
  • PET Scans
  • Positron Emission Tomography
  • Positron Emission Tomography Imaging
  • Positron-Emission Tomography Imagings
  • Scan, PET
  • Tomography Imaging, Positron-Emission
  • Tomography, Positron Emission

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

14 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings adverse effects, classification, economics, ethics, history, instrumentation, methods, mortality, nursing, psychology, standards, statistics & numerical data, trends, veterinary.

MeSH Record

History Note

2005; use TOMOGRAPHY, EMISSION-COMPUTED 1979-2004

MeSH Record

Previous Indexing

  • Tomography, Emission-Computed (1969-2004)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

WN 206

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Positron-Emission Tomography. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D049268. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D049268
  2. Positron-Emission Tomography. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positron_emission_tomography
  3. Positron-Emission Tomography. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q208376