Prior to a scan, a patient is injected with a small amount of signal-emitting tracers. The patient is required to rest for an hour to enable the tracers to travel throughout the body. As the patient lies motionless on a motorized gurney, the PET scanner records signals emitted by the tracers as they journey through the body. A computer reconstructs the signals into detailed images for evaluation by radiologists. These images can be rotated or enlarged and manipulated in other ways to aid in diagnosis.
Abnormal tissues appear as dark spots on a PET scan.
Until recently, PET scanners have been primarily based at medical schools and universities for research purposes only. But it's time to focus our message more on what we have to offer at John Randolph. I have the impression people do not know about all of our services, so they believe they must go to Richmond for their health care. Of course, we know that is not true, so we need to get this across to others. The volunteers at John Randolph were honored during National Volunteer Week, April 22-28 for their 27,437 hours they generously donated in 2000.