what is a PET-CT scan and how is it different than a regular iodine based dye CT scan?

Before the scan, a small amount of radioactive sugar (usually FDG – fluorodeoxyglucose) is injected into the bloodstream. Cancer cells tend to use more energy (sugar) than normal cells, so they absorb more of this substance. The PET scan detects this increased uptake and shows areas of high metabolic activity – which often signals cancer.

PET-CT scan, which overlays the PET’s metabolic activity images on top of the CT’s anatomical images. This gives a much clearer and more accurate picture of where disease is located, how active it is, and how it’s affecting surrounding tissues.

It’s safe even in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) or renal impairment because the tracer is given in such a small dose and doesn’t depend heavily on kidney clearance.