To ensure patient safety during PET scans, what is commonly minimized?

Minimizing radiation exposure is a critical aspect of ensuring patient safety during PET scans. PET scans use radioactive tracers, which emit positrons that are detected by the imaging system to generate images of metabolic activity in different organs. The radiation dose needs to be carefully managed to balance between obtaining high-quality images and protecting the patient from unnecessary exposure to ionizing radiation.

To achieve this, various strategies can be employed, such as using the lowest effective dose of radioactive tracers necessary for accurate diagnosis, optimizing scanning protocols, and utilizing advanced imaging technologies that enhance image quality without requiring higher radiation levels. Keeping radiation exposure as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA principle) is a foundational guideline in radiology practices, including PET imaging.

On the other hand, while image quality, cost, and time of imaging are also important factors, they do not directly relate to the fundamental concern of patient safety in the context of minimizing radiation risk. Maintaining high image quality often requires careful adjustments of protocols while ensuring radiation exposure remains low. Cost considerations and the duration of the scan may influence logistics and operational aspects, but they are secondary to the primary goal of safeguarding patient health.