MRI and PET scans differ in how they create images, with MRI using magnetic fields and PET scans using an active substance. Both are important for diagnosis, but require trained professionals to administer and interpret.
The main difference between an MRI and a PET scan is how each method conjures up the picture that healthcare professionals rely on. These scans are incredibly valuable for confirming and exploring possible diagnoses, without which doctors and other professionals would be less able to effectively treat the disease. Functionally, both of these imaging studies act to penetrate peripheral structures to achieve similar goals; however, their methods of doing this differ. Put simply, an MRI uses magnetic technology, while a PET scan detects a substance in the body to produce an active image.
Both MRI and PET scan are acronyms. MRI is short for Magnetic Resonance, while PET stands for Positron Emission Tomography. While both terms may be intimidating to the layman, they are very descriptive of what each scan accomplishes and how it does it.
MRI uses multiple magnetic fields, each very strong, to physically align specific atoms in the body’s internal structures. These magnetic fields cause the nuclei in the center of the atoms to rotate, and these variations are due to differences in position and the type of atom. These disparities in rotational speed are recorded and translated to form an MRI image. This image generally reflects an internal structure of the body. A strength of MRIs is their ability to illustrate discrete differences in soft tissue, particularly in the brain, heart, muscles, and growths.
MRI and PET scan differ mainly in modality. While MRIs use magnetic fields, an active ingredient is the key to a successful PET scan. This substance is usually injected into a specific region of the body or ingested, and as this radio tracer decays, it emits positively charged particles, which are collected with specialized equipment. The differences in emission show how the body’s systems work. Functional differences may be expressed in different brightness and color on the computer image.
It’s important to realize that an MRI scan and a PET scan differ fundamentally in how they capture images and the circumstances in which they can be used. Taking and interpreting such images requires a great deal of knowledge which is why only trained professionals should administer or draw conclusions from these tests. These tests are extremely complicated procedures whose mechanical processes are fully understood only by those trained to do so.
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