Houston Medical Center Expands Diagnostic Imaging Services To Offer PET/CT Scanning
Physicians will now be able to more accurately detect cancer with the addition of PET/CT scanning services available at Houston Medical Center beginning October 19. This technology combines positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) tests to create state-of-the-art images for more complete information on for diagnosing and treating cancer.
“We are very excited about being able to offer our patients the high-tech diagnostic capabilities of a PET/CT scanner,” says Tim Sisco, Director of Imaging Services at Houston Healthcare. “This new technology will benefit our patients tremendously in providing not only a more accurate diagnosis but also a quicker diagnosis, along with more precise information regarding the staging and localization of cancer.”
The PET/CT scanner integrates both PET and CT scans into a single test. The individual scans are taken virtually simultaneously and can be presented to the radiologist for interpretation either separately or as single images fused together. According to Garrett Ward, MD, Chief of Radiology at Houston Medical Center, the two scans present different types of detailed information about the human body. “PET shows metabolic or chemical activity in the body such as a tumor’s increased glucose consumption, while the CT image shows the body’s anatomical structure to reveal the physical mass of a tumor,” he explains. “Having PET/CT technology gives us the ability to collect both anatomical and biological information during a single examination, which gives patients a better diagnosis, more accurate staging and localization while avoiding unnecessary procedures.”
In addition to its diagnostic benefits, PET/CT has the potential to assist physicians in prescribing treatment plans for cancer patients, specifically in helping to determine exact locations for surgical excision and tailor radiation fields to reach all the cancer cells and avoid damage to the surrounding healthy tissue. PET/CT images also provide early detection of the recurrence of cancer, particularly in the head and neck, by revealing tumors that may otherwise be obscured by scar tissue that results from previous cancer treatments, including surgery and radiation therapy.
“We truly believe that the PET/CT scanner will play a key role in improving patient care in our community,” Dr. Ward adds. “PET/CT is an exciting new imaging technology for our hospital that offers physicians a valuable tool in diagnosing and treating cancer.”