Prostate cancer scanning: Photos from inside Mayo's lab

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Rochester, Minnesota, USA — Ping Fang, a senior chemist in Radiology at Mayo Clinic, monitors the production of C-11 methyl choline in a lab Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012 at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. C-11 choline is an agent used during PET scans to help detect reoccurring prostate cancer. The Mayo Clinic is the only health facility in the U.S. currently approved by the FDA to administer Choline during PET scans, and they plan to expand their production and services to offer it to more patients. (MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson/Read the full story here) link to this photo

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Rochester, Minnesota, USA — Ping Fang, a senior chemist in Radiology at Mayo Clinic, prepares to produce C-11 choline in an isolation chamber Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012 at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. C-11 choline, which is an agent used during PET scans to help detect reoccurring prostate cancer, is isolated because a radioactive marker is added to it to the production process. (MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson/Read the full story here) link to this photo

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Rochester, Minnesota, USA — Ping Fang, a senior chemist in Radiology at Mayo Clinic, prepares C-11 choline in an isolation chamber Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012, at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. C-11 choline, which is an agent used during PET scans to help detect reoccurring prostate cancer, is isolated because a radioactive marker is added to it to the production process. (MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson/Read the full story here) link to this photo

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Rochester, Minnesota, USA — A syringe of C-11 choline is moved through an isolation chamber Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012 at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. C-11 choline, which is an agent used during PET scans to help detect reoccurring prostate cancer, is isolated because a radioactive marker is added to it to the production process. (MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson/Read the full story here) link to this photo

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Rochester, Minnesota, USA — Dr. Eugene Kwon, left, talks with his patient Larry Weber before Weber's PET scan Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012 at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Weber, 58, of Olney, Ill. was being scanned using C-11 choline to check for a recurrence of prostate cancer. (MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson/Read the full story here) link to this photo

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Rochester, Minnesota, USA — Larry Weber, 58, of Olney, Ill. prepares for a PET scan Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012 at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Weber was being scanned using C-11 choline to check for a recurrence of prostate cancer. Weber was diagnosed with an aggressive form of the cancer in 2006 and said he has since experienced 37 rounds of radiation, chemotherapy and hormone deprivation. (MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson/Read the full story here) link to this photo

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Rochester, Minnesota, USA — The C-11 choline agent is injected into Larry Weber Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012 at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. C-11 choline is an agent used during PET scans to help detect recurring prostate cancer. Because of C-11 choline's short half-life, it must be administered shortly after production. (MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson/Read the full story here) link to this photo

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Rochester, Minnesota, USA — A technician monitors a PET scan of patient Larry Weber at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012. Weber was being scanned using C-11 choline, which helps accurately detect the recurrence of prostate cancer. (MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson/Read the full story here) link to this photo

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Rochester, Minnesota, USA — Dan McConnell, left, assists patient Larry Weber after a PET scan Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012 at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. Weber was being scanned using C-11 choline, which helps accurately detect the recurrence of prostate cancer. (MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson/Read the full story here) link to this photo

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Rochester, Minnesota, USA — A monitor displays images of a PET scan using C-11 choline at Mayo Clinic, Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012 in Rochester, Minn. The images from a scan using C-11 choline provide more precise and detailed information than a traditional scan. (MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson/Read the full story here) link to this photo

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Rochester, Minnesota, USA — Patient Larry Weber greets nurse Diane Mann, R.N., following his PET scan, Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012, at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. (MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson/Read the full story here) link to this photo