Development of an Improved Method of Measuring Total Body Bone Perfusion Using Total-body PET/CT

Broken bones (fractures) are a common problem in several serious health conditions, such as osteoporosis, kidney failure, and sickle cell disease. To better understand and treat these diseases, researchers need a reliable way to measure how much blood flows through our bones. In animal studies, a special scan called PET (Positron Emission Tomography) has been used successfully to measure bone blood flow. This scan uses a safe, low dose of a radioactive substance called sodium fluoride, which helps show how blood moves through the bones. However, using this method in people has been difficult in the past because older PET scanners were not sensitive enough to give accurate results. Recently, St Thomas' Hospital in London has received two new, state-of-the-art PET scanners. These scanners can take pictures of the whole body at once and are much more sensitive than older models. They can