The PET scan, short for "Position Emission Tomography" is a test that we are seeing used more regularly as a means of determining the type of dementia that someone may have.
Remember, there really are no true diagnostic tests or series of medical tools that tell us that dementia is absolutely present in a person suspected of having dementia. A physician may start with a simple Mini Mental State Examination, in which a person may be asked a series of questions to test their cognitive and memory skills. The physician may run other medical tests, including CT scan or MRI, which each look at the shape or structure of organs within the body to detect irregularities. The PET scan is different.
The PET scan, short for "Position Emission Tomography" is a test that we are seeing used more regularly as a means of determining the type of dementia that someone may have.
Remember, there really are no true diagnostic tests or series of medical tools that tell us that dementia is absolutely present in a person suspected of having dementia. A physician may start with a simple Mini Mental State Examination, in which a person may be asked a series of questions to test their cognitive and memory skills. The physician may run other medical tests, including CT scan or MRI, which each look at the shape or structure of organs within the body to detect irregularities. The PET scan is different.