PET-CT Imaging and FDG Uptake

Targeted CE per ARRT’s Discipline, Category, and Subcategory classification:
[Note: Discipline-specific Targeted CE credits may be less than the total Category A credits approved for this course.]

Nuclear Medicine Technology: 2.50
Procedures: 2.50
Endocrine and Oncology Procedures: 2.50

Registered Radiologist Assistant: 2.50
Procedures: 2.50
Abdominal Section: 0.75
Thoracic Section: 0.75
Musculoskeletal and Endocrine Sections: 0.25
Neurological, Vascular, and Lymphatic Sections: 0.75

Radiation Therapy: 1.75
Patient Care: 1.75
Patient and Medical Record Management: 1.75

Outline

1. Introduction
2. Sites of Physiologic FDG Uptake
3. Physiologic versus Pathologic FDG Uptake in the Head and Neck
4. Physiologic versus Pathologic FDG Uptake in the Chest
5. Physiologic versus Pathologic FDG Uptake in the Abdomen and Pelvis
6. Conclusion

Objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will:

1. understand the purpose of the article
2. know what types of information CT provides
3. know what types of information PET provides
4. knowwhat types of information FDG provides
5. know why CT and PET are combined
6. be familair with how FDG is taken up
7. identify normal FDG accumulation
8. identify abnormal FDG accumulation
9. be able to describe why specificity is increased when using PET/CT
10. be able to describe why sensitivity is increased when using PET/CT
11. be familiar with the pitfalls of PET imaging
12. know what organ demonstrates the most normal uptake
13. know why the brain demonstrates intense FDG uptake
14. be able to identify what the primary substrate for the myocardium is
15. understand why FDG accumulates in the myocardium
16. know what factors will reduce myocardial FDG uptake
17. understand why FDG is seen in the urinary tract
18. understand what environmental factors can change the outcome of the PET scan
19. understand what patient’s physical factors can change the outcome of the PET scan
20. know what muscles can show uptake due to breathing
21. know the parts of Waldeyer’s ring
22. be familair with what affects FDG concentrations in the saliva
23. be familiar with the origin of muscle uptake in the neck
24. understand how muscle uptake can inhibit scan interpratation
25. know what causes thymic regression
26. understand why brown adipose tissue takes up FDG
27. understand what can reduce the appearance of brown adipose tissue
28. understand why PET/CT imaging is not always useful
29. be familair with reasons for FDG uptake in the gallbladder
30. know what misdiagnoses ureter uptake of FDG can lead to
31. be familiar with what diseases can affect normal uptake in other organs
32. understand why CT is an important correlative tool
33. understand the importance of proper patient preparation
34. know why fusion software using two different scanners is not as good as PET/CT
35. be familiar with how patient motion can affect the scan