Professor Gustav von Schulthess, MD, PhD, is the Director of Nuclear Medicine and Co-Director of the MR Centre at University Hospital Zürich, Switzerland. Professor von Schulthess’ research has been published extensively and he is recognised worldwide as an authority in functional imaging and multimodality scanning in nuclear medicine and radiology.

Address for correspondence:
Gustav K. von Schulthess MD, PhD,
Professor and Director of Nuclear Medicine
University Hospital
CH-8091 Zürich, Switzerland
Tel: +41 (0)1 255 29 44
Fax: +41 (0)1 255 44 28
Email: gustav.vonschulthess@usz.ch

Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) is the fastest-growing imaging modality worldwide. Integration of a PET scanner and CT scanner to provide co-registered images combines the high spatial resolution and anatomical detail of CT with the molecular, quantifiable images obtained by PET. Moreover, attenuation correction of PET images using the CT data enables PET-CT to be faster than PET alone, thereby improving imaging efficiency and patient throughput. PET-CT has been proven to be the most sensitive and specific examination for tumour staging through the complementary nature of the two systems in many tumours. PET is highly sensitive for identification of lesions, whilst CT localisation of foci in co-registered images increases the specificity of these findings and can show pathology not resolved by PET alone. The current most frequent indications for PET-CT are non-small-cell lung cancer, lymphoma and suspected recurrence of colorectal cancer, where PET-CT data are valuable for staging, therapy/surgery planning and prognosis. The spectrum of successful applications for PET-CT is increasing, and emerging indications include imaging of inflammation, and the potential for combining CT coronary angiography with PET imaging of rest and stress perfusion to enable a full ‘one-stop’ cardiac examination. PET-CT currently represents the best of clinical molecular imaging and seems certain to develop further with advances in radiotracer and scanner technology.

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