What is PET Full Form?
PET stands for Polyethylene Terephthalate in its most common usage, referring to a widely used plastic polymer. However, PET can also stand for Positron Emission Tomography, a medical imaging technique. Let's examine both:
What is Polyethylene Terephthalate?
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is a strong, lightweight, and versatile thermoplastic polymer. It belongs to the polyester family and is renowned for its use in various applications. PET's repeating ester groups (–COO–) contribute to its unique properties.
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Common Uses: PET is commonly used to package food and beverages (think soda bottles and water bottles). Its durability and recyclability make it an ideal material for this purpose. It's also used in clothing fibers (like polyester clothing).
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Properties: PET is known for its strength, lightweight nature, and resistance to chemicals. It's also recyclable, making it a more environmentally friendly choice than some other plastics.
PET as Positron Emission Tomography
What is Positron Emission Tomography?
Positron emission tomography (PET) is a medical imaging technique that uses a radioactive tracer to detect disease within the body. This tracer is injected into the patient, and the PET scanner detects the radiation emitted by the tracer. The resulting images help doctors identify areas of abnormal metabolic activity, which can indicate the presence of disease.
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Medical Applications: PET scans are used to detect early signs of cancer, heart disease, and brain conditions. The images created are used for diagnosis and treatment planning. Often, a PET scan is combined with a CT scan (PET-CT) to provide more detailed images.
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How it works: The radioactive tracer binds to specific molecules in the body, allowing doctors to see the activity of these molecules. Areas of increased activity may indicate disease.
In summary, the full form of PET depends on the context. In material science and engineering, it is Polyethylene Terephthalate. In the medical field, it's Positron Emission Tomography.
