Thinking nuclear medicine--PET activation

Abstract

PET activation, although restricted to a limited number of research centers, is currently the gold standard for mapping functional areas of the brain. This paper outlines how and why activation studies are performed and reviews the major uses of this technique. Special emphasis is on cognitive neuropsychology including the results of a project designed to map the areas of the brain responsible for controlling automatic counting and simple calculation. These fascinating studies are, by definition, a part of nuclear medicine. As such, we argue that knowledge of PET activation is an essential component of professional development and that, given opportunity, commitment and the will to learn, nuclear medicine technologists have the potential for involvement, collaboration or leadership in this area of research.