January 24, 2006
Dana-Farber adds second PET/CT scanner, offering the latest technology to more patients
Greg LeFever, of the Nuclear Medicine department, stands in front of Dana-Farber's second PET/CT scanner.
The Nuclear Medicine Division at Dana-Farber has a new addition: a second PET/CT scanner that allows more patients to be evaluated for potential cancers and responses to treatment within a day, reducing waiting lists and shortening visits.
PET/CT scanners are the "latest and greatest" in nuclear medicine technology, says Greg LeFever, CNMT, RT, the division's lead nuclear medicine technologist. Because this combined scanner integrates the anatomical imaging capabilities of the CT scan with the metabolic visuals offered by the PET scan, clinicians can locate and characterize cancerous tumors with greater accuracy - and thus improve treatment. It is these combined abilities that make the machine the cutting-edge in nuclear medicine technology.
"[The PET/CT scan] combines the strengths of two well-established imaging modalities, CT and PET, into a single imaging device that provides all the information needed regarding the location and status of a cancerous tumor, in one setting," says Annick Van den Abbeele, MD, clinical director of Radiology and director of Nuclear Medicine/PET.
In brief, a CT (computed tomography) scan delivers X-rays that can provide cross-sectional views of organs and other structures with the ability to differentiate among bone, blood vessels, and different types of soft tissue, revealing any abnormalities. A PET (positron emission tomography) scan, on the other hand, can provide images of the metabolism within these abnormalities and enable them to be interpreted as either benign or malignant. Cancerous tumors absorb sugar - administered intravenously to the patient - quickly to ensure their survival, which show up as unique bright spots on a PET scan, LeFever explains.
"You can map the abnormalities from the PET to the CT with a click of a mouse, which allows you to pinpoint the problem," he says. "It makes for a better assessment of a malignancy [cancer] versus a benign abnormality." A mass may show up on a CT scan, but the PET scan will show if that mass represents active tumor or scar tissue. Almost all cancers can be imaged on a PET/CT scanner, including lymphoma, melanoma, colon, esophageal, ovarian, lung cancers, and brain tumors.
Having two of these machines means more patients can be seen - and faster. Before the arrival of the second hybrid machine in the Nuclear Medicine suite of Dana L2, LeFever says his department saw an average of 11 patients per day. Now it handles approximately 18 patients daily, with a goal of 21. The waiting list for an appointment has shortened to approximately one week, but LeFever says the department's goal is to shrink that to less than 24 hours. He adds that patients are now in and out the door in less than two hours, compared to four hours before the arrival of the hybrid PET/CT machines.
"The request for PET/CT imaging at Dana-Farber has significantly increased since the installation of the first system," says Van den Abbeele. "Having two such systems available allows our patients to have access to this unique imaging modality in an even shorter timeframe."
