PET is an acronym for positron emission tomography. CAT is an acronym for computer axial tomography. CT or computer tomography is the complete scan. Both PET scan and CAT scan are imaging techniques used to diagnose different health ailments. Despite being imaging tests, there is substantial difference between PET scan and CAT scan, just as there are differences with MRI scan.
Sir Godfrey Hounsfield invented CAT scan in Hayes, United Kingdom.
The first ever brain scan was conducted on 1st of October in 1971. The first time the compound was administered for a PET scan was in August 1976 by one Abass Alavi at the University of Pennsylvania.
CAT scans offer an accurate image of the skeletal structure inside the body.
PET scans provide images of biological processes in the human body. PET scans can provide detailed information about metabolic processes and neural functions among others.
CAT scan usually costs less than PET scan.
A CT scan can cost anywhere from a thousand to three thousand dollars. PET scans usually cost upwards of three thousand and can cost as much as six thousand dollars.
CAT scan takes about five minutes.
The scan takes about thirty seconds and the rest of the time is for setting everything up. PET scan can take anywhere from two hours to four hours. PET scan is highly sensitive to any movement of the patient. CAT scan is relatively not sensitive at all.
CAT scan doesn’t have much radiation exposure.
Most CAT scans will limit the radiation dose to 10 mSv. It can be as low as 2 mSv. CAT scan is not recommended for children and pregnant women. PET scan uses nuclear medicine to produce a 3D image of the various functional processes in the human body. The effective radiation exposure can be moderate but there is a risk of high exposure.
CAT scan uses X-rays to form the image.
PET scan uses radioactive tracers. These radioactive tracers will emit the positrons that are tracked by the scanner to create the 3D image. It is this process that makes the whole scanning lengthy.
CAT scan is risky to an extent because of the possibility of causing irradiation.
The process is painless though and it is noninvasive. PET scan has the same kind of effects on the body as X-ray machines.
PET and CAT scans along with X-rays and MRI scans form a set of quintessential imaging tests for various health conditions.
