SASKATOON – Saskatchewan’s first PET/CT scanner officially opened at Royal University Hospital (RUH) on Thursday.
PET/CT (positron emission tomography / computed tomography) scans are mainly used to determine treatment and monitor cancer patients. Medical isotopes are injected into the body and absorbed, allowing the scanner to create detailed images.
With the help of radiologists, doctors can pinpoint cancers inside patients and determine if they are malignant or benign. Scans can also diagnose other medical conditions such as epilepsy, dementia and movement disorders.
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RUH’s PET/CT can conduct up to seven diagnostic tests a day and is operating three days a week. Saskatoon Health Region expects to increase yearly service to 1,900 Saskatchewan patients.
The provincial government contributed $4 million for the technology and will provide up to $3.7 million in operating costs annually.
“The investment we have made in this state-of-the-art medical imaging service will pay off in better health for our people, increased convenience and less stress from out-of-province travel, and better access to accurate diagnoses,” said Randy Weekes, Rural and Remote Health Minister.
RUH Foundation raised $2 million to renovate the space and install the equipment, plus another $500,000 for research and education.
PotashCorp contributed $1 million for the new PotashCorp PET/CT Centre. In 1990, Saskatchewan’s first MRI was also assisted by a million from PotashCorp.
Earlier this month, the University of Saskatchewan approved construction of the province’s first cyclotron. It is expected start producing medical isotopes needed for PET/CT scans by 2016.
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