Preliminary tests show that PET scans using a new molecular tracer can distinguish between rats with healthy levels of insulin-­producing cells in the pancreas (glowing areas above) and rats whose ­insulin-producing cells have been chemically damaged. Credit: Hank Kung

Scientists estimate that patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes have already lost 50 to 90 percent of their insulin-­producing cells by the time their conditions are diagnosed. A new molecular tracer could provide the first clear view of these cells in the pancreas, helping doctors detect and treat diabetes far earlier.

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