Further reading on PET imaging
Public sources that carry the detail we leave out, grouped by what you may want next.
This guide is a starting point, and the organisations below know their own fields far better than a general explainer can. Every link here was opened while we wrote the pages on this site. Some are patient pages, some are professional guidelines or review articles written for specialists, so expect the second kind to be denser.
If you are having a scan
Start with material written for patients. RadiologyInfo.org, from the RSNA and the ACR, describes the scan sequence, the length of the visit and aftercare. Cancer Research UK and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center each give a worked example of preparation instructions. The two differ in some details, which is a useful reminder that your own appointment letter is the one to follow. Our page on what to expect on scan day compares the usual pattern.
For the radiation question, RadiologyInfo.org on radiation dose explains effective dose, and the IAEA radiation protection pages for PET-CT cover pregnancy and breastfeeding. Then read radiation dose in context on this site.
If you are following a condition
For memory problems, the Alzheimer's Association page on medical tests places imaging within the wider assessment. For epilepsy, the Mayo Clinic overview of diagnosis and treatment explains when surgery is considered. For Parkinson's disease, the American Parkinson Disease Association and the Michael J. Fox Foundation both discuss what dopamine transporter imaging can and cannot show. The matching pages here are dementia and memory evaluation, epilepsy surgery planning and movement disorders.
Guidelines and reviews
These are written for clinicians and scientists but are open to read. The EANM procedure guideline for FDG tumour imaging sets out preparation and technique in detail. The EANM and SNMMI guideline for PSMA PET-CT covers a newer family of tracers. For the heart, the ASNC and SNMMI document on PET myocardial perfusion imaging is a clear reference. For brain imaging in psychiatry, the American Psychiatric Association resource document on neuroimaging gives the position on routine use.
Physics, tracers and history
For the physics, the IAEA handbook on nuclear medicine physics is a full textbook that is free to download, and a review of PET image reconstruction by Tong, Alessio and Kinahan explains how lines of response become an image. The IAEA technical report on cyclotron-produced radionuclides lists half-lives and production routes. For history, the Nobel Prize page for Carl Anderson records the discovery of the positron, and Townsend and Jones in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine trace the first PET scanners. Our own short history and physics page cite the same material.
For teachers
The classroom explainer pairs well with the IAEA handbook above for older students. Teachers who want a patient-facing text to read aloud can use the RadiologyInfo.org page, which is written at a general reading level.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I look first for reliable PET information?
Start with a professional society or a major cancer, heart or neurology organisation, and with your own imaging centre. They publish patient pages that are reviewed and kept current.
Are the guideline documents suitable for patients?
They are written for specialists and use technical language. They are open to read and useful if you want to see the detail, but a patient page or a conversation with your care team is usually a better first step.
Why do different sources give slightly different preparation instructions?
Centres set their own protocols within broad guidelines, and tracers and scanners differ. Follow the instructions you were given for your appointment.
The short version
Patient pages from imaging societies and cancer organisations are the best next step for most readers. Guidelines and review articles are there when you want the underlying detail.