Technical issues in performing PET studies in pediatric patients.

The purpose of this review is to familiarize the reader with aspects of PET that are important to its performance in pediatric patients. Recognition of differences in applying PET technology to children than to adults should result in higher quality scans in pediatric patients. The reader should be able to recognize key differences in performing PET scans in pediatric patients and to recall basic indications for PET scanning in children. High-quality PET imaging of pediatric patients is challenging and requires consideration of issues common to pediatric nuclear medicine but uncommon to imaging of adult patients. These include intravenous access, sedation, fasting, consent, and clearance of activity from the urinary tract. This article focuses on technical differences involved in pediatric PET compared with adult PET and serves as a guide to enhance the quality of scans and to ensure the safety and comfort of pediatric patients. Upon reading this article, the reader will be familiar with the aspects of PET that pertain to pediatric patients, know how to apply PET imaging techniques to pediatric patients, and know the indications for PET scanning in children.