State-of-the art PET scanners at Royal Adelaide Hospital key to detecting cancers and other disorders

Positron emission tomography (PET) scanners can identify cancer cells, as well as detect neurological, inflammatory and cardiovascular disorders.

Two state-of-the-art positron emission tomography (PET) scanners operating at the Royal Adelaide Hospital have been an important step in modernising the South Australian health system.

The Royal Adelaide Hospital department of nuclear medicine previously provided a state-wide PET scan service for 15 years, including services for specialised paediatrics and the Northern Territory.

The $2.5 million state-of-the-art Siemens’ Biograph, mCT Flow PET/CT scanner bought by the state government in 2017 joined another one at a special section in the new Royal Adelaide Hospital opened that year. The high-tech full-body scanners can identify cancer cells, as well as detect neurological, inflammatory and cardiovascular disorders.

Doctors were expecting to use the machine for cancer staging and followup in around 3000 South Australians each year. The Royal Adelaide Hospital PET/CT scanner had four detector rings for improved resolution, detection and efficiency, and allowing for less radiation per patient per scan.

PET scanning plays an essential role in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with cancer. It is also helpful in neurological, cardiovascular disease and is an important tool in medical research. PET scanning provides more accurate tumour detection and that reduces the need for unnecessary surgery and allows for more targeted treatment.