Part 2/8:
When a doctor prepares to conduct a PET scan, they begin by injecting FDG into the patient’s arm. This radioactive glucose is absorbed by tissues in the body, particularly by cancer cells, which often consume glucose at higher rates than normal cells. This quality makes FDG act like a beacon, allowing the PET scanner to detect the presence of tumors and other abnormalities, as the rapidly dividing cancer cells accumulate significant portions of the glucose.