First PET Center in Mexico: the power of molecular imaging

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a non-invasive diagnostic imaging technique modality. It represents the forefront of medical images and was developed as a quantitative technique for imaging biochemical and physiological processes in the human body. PET is unique because it produces images of the body's basic biochemistry or function. Traditional diagnostic techniques such as x-rays, CT scans or MRI, produce images of the body's anatomy or structure. The premise with these techniques is that the change in anatomy or structure that occurs with disease can be seen. However, biochemical processes are also altered with disease and may occur before there is a change gross anatomy. PET is an imaging technique that is used to visualize some of these processes. The development of PET as we know it today began in 1974 with the development of a single ring detector system by Phelps et al. Today, over 350 PET scanners are in use in the world, mainly in the USA (over 140), Europe (particularly in the Anglo-Saxon countries and France) and Japan. Many of these facilities also have their own cyclotron to produce the positron emitters. In the Southern hemisphere, only Australia, Argentina. and recently Mexico, have a very small number of PET facilities. (Author)