NECSA and NTP donate PET-CT scanner to Tygerberg Hospital

On 25 November 2011, the Western Cape Health Department, NTP Radioisotopes and its parent company, the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (NECSA), marked the intermediate phase of installing a R15.6 million positron emission tomography - computed tomography (PET-CT) scanner at Tygerberg Hospital.

Mapula Letsoalo, NTP’s Executive Director, pointed out that, of the 9 functioning PET-CT scanners in the country, most are in Gauteng Province, with only one in the Western Cape. ‘The scanner owned by the Cape PET-CT Centre is currently shared between one private clinic and three state hospitals,’ she explained. ‘This scenario has caused strain as Tygerberg and Groote Schuur hospitals as well as Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital are only allocated two afternoon sessions per week. The need for an additional PET-CT scanner in the province was imminent as the use of F-18 FDG has grown by 109% in 2009/10 compared to 2008/09 for Tygerberg Hospital alone.’

Western Cape Health Minister Theuns Botha said: ‘Western Cape provincial government is so thankful for the PET-CT scanner, which will bring enormous relief to the staff and capacity at Tygerberg Hospital. We have more than 2 000 new oncology patients at Tygerberg each year who depend on our services, as well as thousands more who come for follow-up. Patients from Groote Schuur and Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital will also be scanned at the facility. Our health budget does not allow us to invest in the advanced technology offered by the scanner, and with this generous donation the hospital is now able to offer this service to more than 10 patients per day.’

The tender to provide the PET-CT scanner was awarded to Philips Medical Systems. Professor James Warwick of the Nuclear Medicine Department at Tygerberg Hospital, and project leader, commented: ‘The Philips PET-CT system met all our main requirements as a dedicated oncology machine with time-of-flight technology enabling low FDG doses, and its suitability for radiotherapy planning including its large bore and full integration with the existing PACS and radiotherapy planning systems at academic hospitals in the Western Cape. Clinically, this means more accurate detection, better resolution, detection of smaller lesions and faster scanning.’

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a modern medical functional imaging technique used in the management of patients with cancer; it is also used in infection and inflammation, cardiology and neurology. PET provides accurate diagnosis, staging and re-staging in certain cancers, and allows rapid evaluation of the efficacy of therapy. PET has led to changes in treatment options and prevention of unnecessary surgical procedures in a significant number of patients.

Millions of patients throughout the world benefit from nuclear medicine scans and other procedures performed using products supplied by NTP. Letsoalo added that NTP manufactures, among other products, isotopes used to enable diagnostic imaging as well as several used in treating diseases. ‘Early detection of most diseases assisted by nuclear medicine scans greatly enhances the possibility of early and accurate diagnosis. This allows prompt and proper treatment and, therefore, a better chance of a saved life.’

The contribution of the Western Cape Department of Health to this PET-CT project is around R14.75 million (R11 million for infrastructure and R3.75 million for equipment accessories). The new PET-CT scanner will be fully functional by the middle of this year.