The Montefiore launches PETCT service

The Montefiore Hospital in Hove has launched a new service using a mobile PETCT scanner. The system arrived at the hospital on November 4 and will return every fortnight.

PETCT is especially effective in diagnosing and assessing the spread of tumours as well as assessing response following treatment. “The scanner will improve the quality of care we can give cancer patients and it has been shown to improve survival rates,” consultant radiologist Dr Nigel Marchbank said. “Despite major advances in imaging using CT and MRI in the last 30 years, some tumours have been difficult to detect and assess for spread at the time of diagnosis. PETCT has been shown to improve detection and staging of many types of cancer. In addition to helping with the diagnosis of cancer, the scanner monitors activity at a molecular level, and so the scans can be used to accurately assess how the tumour is responding to treatment.”

Patients will be referred for a PETCT scan by their consultant. This takes on average 40 minutes and the results will be ready within 48 hours and forwarded directly to the consultant.

InHealth head of PETCT Ralph Toop added: “The InHealth mobile PETCT scanner uses a Siemens system and is a very powerful imaging tool available to cancer clinicians in making critical decisions regarding patient treatment and management of pathways.”

Picture: Diagnostic imaging manager Mark Harrison and consultant radiologist Dr Nigel Marchbank.

Published on page 18 of the December 2020 issue of RAD Magazine.