PET began in the 1970s as a research tool. The technology advanced from digital coincidence to 3-D images in the 1980s. Then in the late 1990s, new detector materials brought further improvements to diagnostic accuracy and image quality, as well as shorter scanning times.
The first PET/CT scanner was introduced in 2000. This hybrid marries two technologies, simultaneously showing both anatomical structure and cellular function, providing complete information on the location and metabolism of cancer. These combined PET/CT systems greatly facilitated interpretation.
