Cancer is a disease which is spread worldwide. Their behaviour depends on the type of cancer. The neuroendocrine tumours or the NETs, are hard to see and detect, as they can grow anywhere in the body for eg. They can be found in , pancreas, intestines, stomach or more. It is also difficult to detect the tumours at an early stage even with imaging, but the gallium-68 DOTA PET Scan stands out and is capable of detecting these tumours successfully.
What Is A DOTA PET Scan?
The DOTA PET CT scan or Gallium-68 DOTATATE scan is used for the detection and diagnosis of neuroendocrine tumours (NETs). The DOTA PET CT scan is a highly sensitive test and can detect even the smallest lesions even at quite early stage, which aids a precise and appropriate treatment plan to be set in place for a successful treatment response.a DOTA PET SCAN is a radioactive scan (68Ga) tagged with DOTATATE that mimics somatostatin, a hormone and bonds to the tumour receptors to highlight NET.
What A DOTA PET SCAN Can Detect?
This scan is done to diagnose neuroendocrine tumours, which affects both the nervous system and the endocrine glands, hence the acronym NETs. You might be injected a radioactive substance called tracer into your vein which is Ga-68 DOTAtate. Other cancers consume glucose, but NETs have receptors for somatostatin, which is a hormone. Most of the tumours are not detected on routine imaging techniques such as FDG-PET CT scans.Other previously used cancer imaging techniques which have been used to detect and diagnose NETs took 4-6 hours and even 3-4 days. Whereas, the DOTA PET CT Scan offers higher precision and accuracy of NET detection. It also offers patient comfort due to the lesser amount of time which is taken to conduct the scan.
What Are The Benefits Of A DOTA PET CT Scan?
DOTA PET CT Scan offers several advantages to the patient and the doctor which makes it a very efficient choice of imaging technique in diagnosing NETs. some of the advantages are as under-
Scanning time– The DOTA PET CT Scan can be completed within 15-20 minutes, which is far quicker than the previous three-day octoreoscan,which takes minimum 3-4 days to complete. This allows for timely detection of tumours without the hassle of travelling back and forth consecutively.
Images quality– The DOTA PET CT Scan is a highly sensitive test which is capable of providing high resolution images that is capable of detecting even centimetres sized lesions. This is the reason it can help in detection as well as plan appropriate treatment.
Aids in treatment planning– because it offers a high quality image, it also aids in treatment plan. The treatment plan created is an effective diagnostic plan, giving a precise outcome.
What Are Drawbacks of DOTA PET CT Scan?
Although everything in the universe comes with its own set of pros and cons. DOTA PET CT Scan also has its few risks that a patient should be aware of. They, include-
The poorly defined NET tumours are less sensitive to get diagnosed in a DOTA PET CT Scan, this might make it difficult to identify them at an early stage.
A false negative DOTA PET CT Scan result may appear if a patient is already taking somatostatin analogs. This is why you should stop taking the medicine 3-4 weeks before the DOTA PET CT Scan.
Things to Keep in Mind After a DOTA PET CT Scan
If you were given some medication before the scan, you will need to stay in the recovery room for some time.
You will be guided to drink plenty of water so as to help flush out the radioactive tracer that was given to you.
You are likely to be radioactive for a while after the scan, so you are suggested to stay away from pregnant women and children for 24 hours to prevent exposure.
Breastfeeding mothers should not feed their babies for at least 24 hours after the scan.
There are no restrictions on your diet. You can resume all your normal activities.
Conclusion
DOTA PET-CT Scan is a great advancement in diagnostic tools, which is capable of diagnosing NET (neuroendocrine tumours). The cost of DOTA PET CT Scan in Delhi varies from one centre to another centre. You should consult doctors and research for a best diagnostic centre near you to get a precise diagnosis.
Updated: Mar 30
There are various imaging methods to diagnose and detect the problem affecting your health. PET (positron emission tomography) scans and MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans are advanced imaging techniques to get a clear view of the problem. These scanning procedures help doctors to detect problems and track their development for effective treatment. Generally, these scans are done in separate manners to diagnose the problem but in some conditions, both scans are done in conjunction.
These combined tests help the doctor view the area to be scanned at both the cellular level and structural-level.
What is a PET scan?
A PET (positron emission tomography) scan is an advanced nuclear medicine procedure that uses a radiotracer, and a PET scanner to produce the images. The produced images help the doctor in understanding the functions of tissues or organs. Because PET scans detect the problem at the cellular level that’s why is it most often used for mentioned below purposes:
To detect cancer.
To track the progression of cancer.
To evaluate the various kind of brain damage or disorders.
To detect the problems such as tumors, seizures, cognitive issues, and their cause.
To evaluate the damage to the heart
To evaluate the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD)
What is an MRI scan?
An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is an imaging methodology that uses a strong magnet and high-frequency radio waves to capture and record images of the organs and structure of a particular area.
MRI scan helps doctors in diagnosis and detect the problems with:
Joints
Blood vessels
Brain
Spinal cord
Abdominal organs
Breasts
In this article, you will get knowledge about PET scans, and MRI scans and how both PET scans and MRI scans are different from each other.
Difference between PET CT scan and MRI scan
There is various difference between the PET scan and MRI. But the main difference is that a PET scan shows the changes at the cellular level and reveals the problems that occur due to the change in the metabolic or biochemical function of your tissues and organs. It helps doctors in detecting problems at the early stage.
PET Scan uses a radioactive tracer to produce images of a specific area. On the other hand, an MRI scan uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to image a particular area.
PET Scan produces 3D pictures of the radiotracer distribution within the human body. It shows the working of organs in real-time. On the hand, an MRI scan produces pictures of body organs and their structure.
Compare to an MRI scan, a PET scan detects the changes at cellular levels in organs and tissues faster.
PET Scan is used to detect the problems such as cancer (thyroid cancer, breast cancer, and lung cancer), heart disease (coronary heart disease), and brain disorders (epilepsy, brain tumor, Alzheimer’s disease), etc. On the other hand, an MRI scan is used to detect infection, spinal injuries, brain injuries, heart disorders (tumors inside the heart chamber, damage from the heart), musculoskeletal system diseases, etc.
MRI scan is a radiology imaging procedure, while A PET scan is a nuclear medicine procedure.
MRI scan can’t be performed on patients with implants, prosthetic devices, pacemaker, or stimulators because it uses a strong magnet for the procedure.
PET scan uses radioactive material to measure the metabolic activities of the cells, while an MRI scan uses a powerful magnet and radio waves to detect abnormalities in the body. Only in the case of MRI with contrast, contrast media is used.
Conclusion
Both MRI scans and PET scans are used to detect abnormalities in the body. The doctor prescribes the methodology depending on your problem to decide the specific treatment for your problem.
Every parent is concerned when their child's doctor recommends an MRI for a thorough diagnosis of the problem. There are endless questions and thoughts racing through the mind. This kind of condition often involves a lot of stress, anxiety, and concerns regarding the safety and health of the child. Among the other concerns, safety is the most important. The first question that a parent has is whether the MRI is safe for the child or if it can harm our child's health.
While it’s natural to have questions and concerns about the diagnostic procedure your child needs to undergo because of his or her illness, It’s also important to know whether your child feels safe and comfortable during the procedure.
In this article, we are going to discuss the following points:
What is an MRI scan?
Is an MRI scan a safe procedure for children?
Are there any risks associated with an MRI scan?
How much time does an MRI scan take?
What is an MRI scan?
An MRI scan is the best and highly recommended imaging procedure for the diagnosis of various types of health-related disorders. The MRI scan uses very powerful magnets and radio waves with a higher level of frequency to produce the detailed pictures of the inside of the patient’s body. It is most commonly used to detect and diagnose problems with bones, soft tissues, and internal organs. It is used to diagnose a variety of problems related to the brain, heart, spinal cord, bones, joints, soft tissues, and internal organs.
The problems that can be diagnosed with MRI scans are:
Aneurysms of cerebral vessels
Multiple sclerosis
Spinal cord disorders
Stroke
Tumors
Brain injury from trauma
Tumors in the internal organs
Abnormalities in the internal organs
Size of the chambers of the heart
Function of the heart's chambers
Thickness of the heart’s wall
Movement of the walls of the heart
A large area of damage occurred due to the heart attacks.
Structural problems in the aorta
Inflammation in the blood vessels
Blockages in the blood vessels
Is an MRI scan a safe procedure for children?
MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging) is a safe and easy imaging procedure that is recommended for kids for the diagnosis of a variety of issues. The procedure is completely safe because it doesn’t involve the use of a magnetic field or radio waves, so there is no chance of any kind of harmful effects as it occurs without harmful radiation. So, it can be done multiple times, unlike a CT scan and a PET scan.
Are there any risks or side effects associated with an MRI scan?
An MRI scan doesn’t cause any direct side effects or health risks to your child’s health. But still, there is the possibility of having side effects in the case of the contrast medium or sedation.
The main negative effect of undergoing an MRI scan is that it can be uncomfortable due to prolonged lying on the hard table without any movement. It takes approximately 15 minutes to 90 minutes for the whole procedure, so your child may feel uncomfortable. Because it is difficult for children to remain motionless for an extended period of time, the technician may administer sedatives to the children to assist them in remaining motionless during the exam.
Because sometimes the contrast media and sedation can cause allergies, if your doctor recommends an MRI scan for your child, be sure to inform your doctor about the allergies your child is suffering from.
Other side effects and complications that your child may experience are listed below. When doctors administer contrast dye via IV, there is a risk of allergic reactions such as itching, irritation, and redness, among other things .If your child is struggling with kidney-related issues, then contrast media can increase the problem. So, be sure to discuss this with the doctor so that precautions can be taken.
How much time does an MRI scan take?
An MRI scan takes between 15 and 45 minutes to complete. In the case of contrast media, however, it could take up to 90 minutes.
Conclusion
MRI is the best imaging procedure for diagnosing the problems in an effective manner. I hope this article will help you reduce your anxiety regarding the safety and risks of an MRI. Like any other diagnostic procedure, every parent must remain stress-free and always try to address the problems of their children. But if you want be more sure you can visit any nearest MRI center to consults these situations.
Read More: What is the cost of PET scan in Delhi?