PET scan

noun

: a sectional view of the body constructed by positron-emission tomography
PET scanner noun
PET scanning noun

Examples of PET scan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The patient may undergo a PET scan, an M.R.I. or a spinal tap — tests that detect the presence of two proteins in the brain, amyloid plaques and tau tangles, both associated with Alzheimer’s. Paula Span, New York Times, 4 Mar. 2024 According to Alzheimer’s Disease International, only 20% to 50% of people with the disease receive a formal diagnosis, and that’s just in high-income countries. Not to mention, current diagnostic tests — lumbar punctures and PET scans — are extremely expensive and invasive. Julia Daye, Miami Herald, 14 Feb. 2024 The group convened late, after much of the hospital had cleared, to walk through the results of a PET scan that would reveal the reach of her menacing breast cancer. Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2024 In the comparison, the blood test performed as well as CSF in detecting Alzheimer’s—an encouraging finding, since CSF performs as well as PET scans in diagnosing the condition. TIME, 24 Jan. 2024 Unlike beta-amyloid, which requires a spinal tap or PET scan to identify, this other protein can be identified in the blood, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Cara Lynn Shultz, Peoplemag, 23 Jan. 2024 Then in 2016, researchers developed a way to detect synaptic activity in live human brains during PET scans. WIRED, 26 Oct. 2023 Amyloid PET scans are important tools to help determine whether patients with mild cognitive impairment are good candidates for new Alzheimer’s drugs, including Eisai and Biogen’s drug Leqembi, which means there will likely be an increase in demand for the scans as uptake increases. Rachel Cohrs, STAT, 13 Oct. 2023 One was a study using positron emission tomography — PET scans — that showed different areas of the brain were associated with each form of memory. Michael S. Rosenwald, Washington Post, 3 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'PET scan.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of PET scan was in 1980

Dictionary Entries Near PET scan

Cite this Entry

“PET scan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/PET%20scan. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Medical Definition

PET scan

noun
: a sectional view of the body constructed by positron-emission tomography
PET scanning noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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