PET scans are used to study brain function by detecting what?

PET scans are used to study brain function by detecting what?

• A. Electrical activity via EEG
• B. Blood flow without radiotracers
• C. Biochemical changes in the brain as they occur by detecting radioactive material which has been injected or inhaled. Looks at brain function.
• D. Structural anatomy only

Answer: (C)

PET scans reveal brain function by tracking a radioactive tracer that is injected or inhaled and participates in brain metabolism. Regions that are more metabolically active take up more tracer, and as the tracer decays it emits positrons detected by the scanner, producing an image of biochemical activity across the brain. This directly shows how active different areas are, rather than just their structure. It’s different from EEG, which measures electrical activity on the scalp, and from purely anatomical imaging that maps form rather than function.

PET scans reveal brain function by tracking a radioactive tracer that is injected or inhaled and participates in brain metabolism. Regions that are more metabolically active take up more tracer, and as the tracer decays it emits positrons detected by the scanner, producing an image of biochemical activity across the brain. This directly shows how active different areas are, rather than just their structure. It’s different from EEG, which measures electrical activity on the scalp, and from purely anatomical imaging that maps form rather than function.