News from industry

Following hot on the heels of the widely touted CAT scanners using X-ray transmissions are the new ECAT (Emission Computerized Axial Tomographic) scanners. Instead of computer-constructed images dependent upon X-ray transmissions through the head or body, ECAT scanners give computer-constructed images based upon concentrations of radiopharmaceuticals administered to a patient and distributed throughout the body according to known physiological phenomena. The images represent the metabolic activity occurring within a “slice” through the patient and can aid a physician in the diagnosis and treatment of malignancies, heart attacks, strokes, and other body ailments.