title: Issues, controversies, and clinical utility of combined PET/CT imaging: what is the interpreting physician facing?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This article identifies the most commonly encountered issues of combined PET/CT and shows the wide variability in perceived possible solutions to these issues. This article will serve as a catalyst to stimulate discussion between experts in both radiology and nuclear medicine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Combining a PET tomography and CT scanner into a single unit amounts to advantages that are not merely additive, but synergistic. Even PET/CT skeptics will embrace the technology after becoming acquainted with the possibilities and will accept the reality that there is no return to PET only.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 200 Lothrop St., Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Todd M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Blodgett
authors.forename: Bethany
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Casagranda
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Townsend
authors.forename: Carolyn C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Meltzer
mesh_terms: D016477:Artifacts; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D009683:Nuclear Medicine / Q000193:education / Q000639:trends*; D011871:Radiology / Q000193:education / Q000639:trends; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*