FDG PET/CT is a medical test used to see inside the body and find out if there are any problems. FDG stands for “fluorodeoxyglucose,” which is a special kind of sugar that is used in this test.
In the body, sugar is used for energy. When we eat food, the body breaks down the sugar and turns it into a type of energy called glucose. FDG is a type of sugar that has been modified so that it can be used for medical purposes. It is slightly different from regular sugar, but the body still treats it like sugar and uses it for energy.
During an FDG PET/CT test, a small amount of FDG is injected into the patient’s vein. The FDG travels through the bloodstream and is taken up by the body’s cells, including cancer cells. Cancer cells are usually more active than normal cells, so they use more glucose. This means that cancer cells will take up more FDG than normal cells.
