Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, part of NHS Tayside, has installed one of the Biograph mCT systems from Siemens Healthcare. The new concept scanner, which combines CT technology with HD PET, is Scotland’s fourth PET CT and will provide investigative and cancer staging scans to the population of Tayside.

Ninewells Hospital said that it will also be able to offer cancer staging scans to patients from further afield, accommodating patients, as and when required, from Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Siemens said that the Biograph mCT is the PET system that offers a uniform 2mm image resolution throughout the entire field of view. This is expected to improve image quality and offer clinicians increased diagnostic confidence. By providing combined information on the metabolic functions of the body and the patient’s anatomy, diseased tissue can be accurately located, ensuring the patient is given appropriate course of treatment.

Due to its dual functionality, the mCT can be used as a molecular CT or as a standalone CT scanner if required. Researchers from the University of Dundee will be using the system for pure CT during some upcoming research projects. Using a two-in-one system will enable the Health Board to maximise time, cost and space rather than installing two separate units, said the Hospital.

Norman Kennedy, consultant physicist in Nuclear Medicine, said: “We will be able to detect disease earlier plus accurately assess the stage of cancers and detect both residual and recurrent disease. Several hundred patients a year are expected to benefit from having this facility and we hope to extend this throughout Scotland and welcome patients from other regions in due course.”

Jim Donald, regional sales manager at Siemens Healthcare, said: “Having an advanced PET CT system in the Tayside region will really benefit cancer care in the area, enabling many more people to have access to state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging. This will ensure that patients are receiving the best

quality scans to assist along the treatment process.”