Why Choose VCI for your Scan?
At Virginia Cancer Institute, we provide state-of-the-art CT and PET imaging tailored to meet each patient’s diagnostic needs. Whether your scan is for initial staging, evaluating response to treatment, or routine follow-up, our focus is on delivering accurate, timely results that support your care every step of the way.
We understand that your time—is valuable. That’s why we’ve streamlined every aspect of the imaging process, from scheduling to results, to ensure a smooth and efficient experience. In select cases, CT scans can be scheduled and completed within hours, helping to avoid unnecessary delays in care.
CT and PET offer our physicians greater insight and information for diagnosis than was available before. They are useful in detecting and identifying tumors, cysts, heart disease, and many illnesses of the liver, lungs or other internal organs. Today, doctors can see signs of disease earlier when treatment is most effective.
CT (Computed Tomography) Scan
A CT (Computed Tomography) scan is an advanced form of X-ray imaging that uses computer technology to create detailed, three-dimensional pictures of the body’s internal anatomy. The scanner captures multiple cross-sectional images—some as thin as half a millimeter—providing far greater detail than a traditional X-ray. This allows physicians to clearly evaluate the size, shape, and location of organs and soft tissues.
PET (Positron Emission Tomography) Scan
A PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scan is a specialized imaging study that shows how tissues and organs are functioning at a cellular level. A small amount of a safe, radioactive tracer—most commonly a glucose-based compound—is administered prior to the scan. Cancer cells often use more energy than normal cells, they absorb more of the tracer and appear as areas of increased activity on the images.
Together, these imaging approaches provide physicians with highly detailed structural and functional information, allowing for more accurate detection of disease, better assessment of treatment response, and more informed guidance of patient care.