PET scanners use radioactive markers to measure various types of activity in the body.
In the brain, PET scanners measure changes in blood flow as a way to monitor changes in the level of activity in various brain structures. In cancerous tumors, PET imaging can measure changes in glucose metabolism to predict how aggressive various tumors will be. The new microPET scanner has much higher resolution than standard PET, and it costs less than a conventional human scanner. And we believe using microPET to non-invasively monitor the onset and progression of uveitis allows us a unique opportunity to learn about the molecular changes that occur in uveitis and perhaps to identify targets that could provide for the development of more effective treatments. The School of Medicine is one of the leading medical research, teaching and patient care institutions in the nation.