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Patients in need of advanced diagnostic imaging don’t have to travel far. Greenwich Hospital has a PET-CT scanner, the only one in lower Fairfield County. This, in addition to a 64-slice CT scanner, makes Greenwich one of the best equipped in the area for diagnostic radiology.

PET, short for "positron emission tomography," is a sophisticated imaging technique. "PET provides detailed information about metabolic activity," explains Christopher Fey, MD, a nuclear medicine specialist. “While CT scanning is the mainstay of routine diagnosis and staging of tumors, PET scanning can improve the accuracy of staging above CT alone. It enables us to see how far a cancer has advanced, and determine if surgery is an appropriate treatment.”

PET scans are often used to see how well a tumor is responding to treatment such as chemotherapy or radiation. They are also used to study brain and heart function.

“Tracing” the signs of disease
While a CT scan takes pictures of the anatomy, showing details of size, shape and density, PET images show the physiology – what the tissues are actually doing. The technology works with an injection of “tracer,” a glucose solution with a trace of radiation. The tracer reveals areas of heightened metabolic activity, a signal of inflammation or cancerous growth.

On the leading edge “Greenwich Hospital has consistently been ahead of the curve in terms of diagnostic technology,” says Dr. Fey. “We’ve had a fixed-site dedicated PET-CT scanner for over two years, and it is still one of the few in the entire Fairfield/Westchester area. We’ve upgraded the system with the latest improvements to maintain its state-of-the-art imaging. And now we’ve enrolled in a nationwide study to document the value of PET scans for a number of uses not currently reimbursed by Medicare.”

This study, the National Oncologic PET Registry, is a collaboration of the American College of Radiology Imaging Network, the American College of Radiology and the Academy of Molecular Imaging. By validating PET scans for broader diagnostic usage, the study will help more patients receive Medicare reimbursement. Eligible patients whose scans are included in the Greenwich Hospital study will receive Medicare coverage.

To learn more about diagnostic radiology at Greenwich Hospital visit our diagnostic radiology services.