title: The clinical application of PET/CT: a contemporary review.
abstract: The combination of positron emission tomography (PET) scanners and x-ray computed tomography (CT) scanners into a single PET/CT scanner has resulted in significant improvements in the diagnosis and staging of disease, particularly in the field of oncology. A decade on from the publication of the details of the first PET/CT scanner, we review the technology and applications of the modality. We examine the design aspects of combining two different imaging types into a single scanner, and the artefacts produced such as attenuation correction, motion and CT truncation artefacts. The article also provides a discussion and literature review of the applications of PET/CT to date, covering detection of tumours, radiotherapy treatment planning, patient management, and applications external to the field of oncology.
authors.affiliation: Radiology Department, The Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Australia.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Brady
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haynes
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Whitaker
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mullen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Clews
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Partridge
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Trapp
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D013382:Subtraction Technique / Q000639:trends*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*