# PET/CT

Source: https://nuclide.cc/technologies/pet-ct/  
Nuclide record `pet-ct` (Technology). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from Nuclide (nuclide.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

PET and CT in one machine, so hot spots on the PET are pinned to exact locations on the CT.

## Summary

PET/CT acquires PET and CT sequentially on one gantry; the CT provides attenuation correction for the PET data and pins each hot spot to an exact anatomical location. In clinical use since 2001, it is the default form of clinical PET and the standard for staging lymphoma, lung cancer, melanoma and head and neck cancer, combining anatomy with biology in one examination. Total-body PET/CT scanners such as the uEXPLORER and Biograph Vision Quadra image the whole body simultaneously with around 40 times the sensitivity of conventional scanners, enabling ultra-low-dose imaging and dynamic studies that follow tracer kinetics over time. The main drawback is that the CT adds radiation to the PET dose, which matters most in children and in patients scanned repeatedly. PET/CT is two scans in one machine so the biology shown by PET can be read against the anatomy shown by CT.

## Fields

- Kind: Technology
- Status: standard-of-care
- Last checked: 2026-09-04
- Principle: Sequential PET and CT acquisition on one gantry; CT provides attenuation correction and anatomic localisation.
- Since: 2001
- Strengths: Anatomy plus biology; Standard for lymphoma, lung, melanoma, head and neck staging
- Limitations: CT radiation added to PET dose

## Sources

- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PET-CT
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PET-CT

## Connected records

- roadmaps: [Molecular imaging roadmap: FDG → PSMA → FAP → antigen and immune PET](https://nuclide.cc/roadmaps/molecular-imaging-roadmap/), [Neuro-oncology imaging roadmap: FDG PET → amino acid PET → SSTR2 theranostics in meningioma](https://nuclide.cc/roadmaps/neuro-imaging-roadmap/), [Radiopharmaceutical roadmap: iodine → lutetium → actinium](https://nuclide.cc/roadmaps/radiopharma-roadmap/)
- technologies: [CT (computed tomography)](https://nuclide.cc/technologies/ct/), [CT, MRI and PET scanner manufacturing](https://nuclide.cc/technologies/medical-imaging-scanner-manufacturing/), [FDG PET](https://nuclide.cc/technologies/fdg-pet/), [FES PET (oestrogen receptor imaging)](https://nuclide.cc/technologies/fes-pet/), [Immuno-PET](https://nuclide.cc/technologies/immuno-pet/), [Nuclear medicine and total-body PET hardware](https://nuclide.cc/technologies/nuclear-medicine-hardware/), [PET (positron emission tomography)](https://nuclide.cc/technologies/pet/), [PET-adapted (response-adapted) therapy](https://nuclide.cc/technologies/pet-adapted-therapy/), [PSMA PET](https://nuclide.cc/technologies/psma-pet/), [Radioligand therapy (beta emitters)](https://nuclide.cc/technologies/radioligand-therapy/), [Somatostatin receptor PET (68Ga/64Cu-DOTATATE)](https://nuclide.cc/technologies/sstr-pet/), [SPECT/CT](https://nuclide.cc/technologies/spect-ct/), [Strontium-82/rubidium-82 generators](https://nuclide.cc/technologies/sr82-rb82-generators/), [Total-body PET for screening and ultra-low-dose imaging](https://nuclide.cc/technologies/total-body-pet-screening/)
- drugs: [Copper-64 dotatate](https://nuclide.cc/drugs/cu-64-dotatate/), [Copper-64 SAR-bisPSMA](https://nuclide.cc/drugs/cu-64-sar-bispsma/), [Floretyrosine F-18 (FET)](https://nuclide.cc/drugs/f-18-fet/), [Fluciclovine F-18](https://nuclide.cc/drugs/fluciclovine-f18/), [Fludeoxyglucose F-18 (FDG)](https://nuclide.cc/drugs/fludeoxyglucose-f18/), [Fluorodopa F-18](https://nuclide.cc/drugs/f-18-fdopa/), [Fluoroestradiol F-18 (FES PET)](https://nuclide.cc/drugs/fluoroestradiol-f18/), [Gallium-68 DOTATATE (and Cu-64 DOTATATE)](https://nuclide.cc/drugs/ga68-dotatate/), [Gallium-68 edotreotide (DOTATOC)](https://nuclide.cc/drugs/ga-68-dotatoc/), [Gallium-68 FAPI-46](https://nuclide.cc/drugs/ga-68-fapi-46/), [Illuccix (kit for Ga-68 gozetotide)](https://nuclide.cc/drugs/illuccix/), [Locametz (kit for Ga-68 gozetotide)](https://nuclide.cc/drugs/locametz/), [Sodium fluoride F-18](https://nuclide.cc/drugs/f-18-naf/)
- companies: [Canon Medical Systems](https://nuclide.cc/companies/canon-medical/), [GE HealthCare](https://nuclide.cc/companies/ge-healthcare/), [Mediso](https://nuclide.cc/companies/mediso/), [Siemens Healthineers](https://nuclide.cc/companies/siemens-healthineers/), [United Imaging](https://nuclide.cc/companies/united-imaging/)
- trials: [A Study to Evaluate the Safety and Diagnostic Performance of F18 FBPA PET/CT Imaging in Solid Tumors](https://nuclide.cc/trials/nct07691775/), [Biodistribution and Dosimetry of Ga-68 P16-093 in Prostate Cancer](https://nuclide.cc/trials/nct03444844/), [HER2 Targeted Molecular Imaging in mBC and Other Metastatic Solid Carcinomas Using 68Ga-ABS011](https://nuclide.cc/trials/nct06369831/), [Investigating the Safety and Diagnostic Performance of 68Ga-NYM032 Injection PET/CT in Men With Newly Diagnosed Prostate Cancer.](https://nuclide.cc/trials/nct07615101/), [Study of 18F-Florastamin PET/CT Imaging in Patients With Suspected Recurrence of Prostate Cancer](https://nuclide.cc/trials/nct06754085/), [This Study Evaluates the Diagnostic Performance and Safety of 68Ga-NYM032 PET/CT Imaging in Patients With Suspected Recurrence of Prostate Cancer.](https://nuclide.cc/trials/nct07649122/)
- journals: [Cancer imaging](https://nuclide.cc/journals/cancer-imaging/)
- indications: [Fever of unknown origin](https://nuclide.cc/indications/fever-of-unknown-origin/), [Follicular lymphoma](https://nuclide.cc/indications/follicular-lymphoma/), [Neuroendocrine tumours](https://nuclide.cc/indications/neuroendocrine/), [Non-small cell lung cancer](https://nuclide.cc/indications/nsclc/), [Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma](https://nuclide.cc/indications/pancreatic-cancer/), [Primary aldosteronism](https://nuclide.cc/indications/primary-aldosteronism/), [Prosthetic joint infection](https://nuclide.cc/indications/infection-prosthetic-joint/), [Small-cell lung cancer](https://nuclide.cc/indications/sclc/)
- institutions: [Chinese PLA General Hospital](https://nuclide.cc/institutions/pla-general-hospital/), [Erasmus MC Cancer Institute](https://nuclide.cc/institutions/erasmus-mc/), [European Association of Nuclear Medicine](https://nuclide.cc/institutions/eanm/), [Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe](https://nuclide.cc/institutions/la-fe-valencia/), [International Atomic Energy Agency: Rays of Hope](https://nuclide.cc/institutions/iaea/), [Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute](https://nuclide.cc/institutions/shandong-cancer-hospital/), [Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging](https://nuclide.cc/institutions/snmmi/), [University Hospital Basel / Tumour Centre](https://nuclide.cc/institutions/usb-basel/)
- ideas: [Qualify PSMA PET tumour volume as a validated imaging biomarker](https://nuclide.cc/ideas/idea-tr2-psma-volume-qualification/), [Total-body PET for personalised radioligand dosing](https://nuclide.cc/ideas/idea-total-body-pet-dosimetry/)
- key papers: [DETECT-A: a blood test plus PET-CT found treatable cancers in 10,000 women with no symptoms](https://nuclide.cc/key-papers/paper-detect-a-science-2020/), [NETTER-2: lutetium-177 dotatate as first treatment for higher-grade gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours](https://nuclide.cc/key-papers/paper-netter-2-lancet-2024/), [VISION: lutetium-177 PSMA-617 radioligand therapy extends survival in advanced prostate cancer](https://nuclide.cc/key-papers/paper-vision-nejm-2021/)
- opportunities: [A liver-cleared Nectin-4 tracer for urothelial cancer](https://nuclide.cc/opportunities/opp-nectin4-imaging-urothelial/), [Alpha-synuclein PET: works for MSA, not for Parkinson's](https://nuclide.cc/opportunities/opp-alpha-synuclein-pet-parkinsons/), [An inflammation tracer that does not need a diet](https://nuclide.cc/opportunities/opp-cardiac-sarcoidosis-specific-tracer/), [CAIX imaging of the indeterminate renal mass](https://nuclide.cc/opportunities/opp-caix-indeterminate-renal-mass/), [CEACAM5 imaging for occult colorectal recurrence](https://nuclide.cc/opportunities/opp-ceacam5-imaging-colorectal/), [Claudin-18.2 imaging when one biopsy says negative](https://nuclide.cc/opportunities/opp-cldn18-2-imaging-gastric/), [CXCR4 imaging instead of adrenal vein sampling](https://nuclide.cc/opportunities/opp-cxcr4-primary-aldosteronism/), [DLL3 imaging for small-cell lung cancer](https://nuclide.cc/opportunities/opp-dll3-imaging-sclc/), [FAP imaging to stop futile pancreatic surgery](https://nuclide.cc/opportunities/opp-fap-pancreatic-staging/), [GPC3 imaging of the indeterminate liver nodule, led from China](https://nuclide.cc/opportunities/opp-gpc3-hcc-china/), [GRPR imaging when the PSMA scan is negative](https://nuclide.cc/opportunities/opp-grpr-psma-negative-prostate/), [HER3 imaging, and why three tracers stalled](https://nuclide.cc/opportunities/opp-her3-imaging-crossover/), [TROP2 imaging where no tissue test is required](https://nuclide.cc/opportunities/opp-trop2-imaging-heterogeneity/)
- fronts: [Cardiac imaging](https://nuclide.cc/fronts/f-cardiac-imaging/), [Molecular imaging](https://nuclide.cc/fronts/f-molecular-imaging/), [Neuro-imaging](https://nuclide.cc/fronts/f-neuro-imaging/)
- isotopes: [Fluorine-18](https://nuclide.cc/isotopes/f-18/)
- terms: [Attenuation correction](https://nuclide.cc/terms/attenuation-correction/), [Time-of-flight (TOF) PET](https://nuclide.cc/terms/time-of-flight-pet/)

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