A PET scan, or Positron Emission Tomography scan, is a type of nuclear medicine imaging that uses a radioactive tracer to visualise and assess the metabolic activity of tissues and organs within the body. The isotope emits a positron which annihilates to give two gamma photons, initially going in opposite directions, which are picked up by detectors surrounding the patient to form the image.
Most of the photons scatter in the patient or the PET apparatus before reaching the detector and are classed as ‘junk’ scatter events and discarded. But now, researchers at University of York, through measurements using a PET detector apparatus as well as quantum theory developments, have shown that these ‘junk’ events would actually provide a rich seam of quantum information.
Currently PET scans are medical professionals’ most popular tool in diagnosing cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. This development provides exciting possibilities to increase diagnostic sensitivity and reduce the necessary radiation dose to the patient.
https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.133.132502
