LAST year, Port Elizabeth-based radiology group, Bayradiology, installed a positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanner at their rooms at the Cancer Care Centre in Mangold Street, Newton Park.
According to a media statement issued by Bayradiology, not only was this the first PET/CT scanner in the Eastern Cape but it also remains the only one in operation in the province today and has proven to be of enormous assistance to oncology patients, who previously had to fly out of town to get a scan.
The PET/CT is particularly effective in identifying whether a cancer is present or not. It can also be used to assess the response to treatment.
Cancers, for which PET/CT is considered effective, include lung, head and neck, colorectal, oesophageal, lymphoma, melanoma, breast, thyroid, cervical and pancreatic, as well as other less frequently occurring cancers
PET/CT images indicate biochemical activity and can accurately characterise a tumour as benign or malignant, thereby guiding the surgeon to an appropriate biopsy site or even avoiding surgical biopsy.
Because a PET scan images the entire body, confirmation of distant metastases can alter treatment plans in certain cases from surgical intervention to chemotherapy.
“Patients who wish to have a PET/CT scan will need a referral from their doctor. In most cases, the cost of the PET/CT scan could be covered by the medical aid, but patients are advised to enquire about this from their medical aid prior to the examination,” the statement read.
For info contact the Bayradiology branch at the Cancer Care Centre on 041 363 0759.
