Citizens Medical Center Introduces Revolutionary Tool in Cancer Treatment.

Revolutionary PET/CT scanning technology is now permanently available to Crossroads area patients thanks to Citizens Medical Center. According to doctors, this technology now allows detection, staging, and treatment planning to all be done in one department, in one location -- the Kathryn O'Connor Regional Cancer Center at Citizens.

Dr. David Janssen, a radiation oncologist, said this technology takes the guesswork out of staging the patient. It really has revolutioned not just radiation oncology but treatment of cancer by surgeons and chemotherapy doctors.

PET/CT scans combine the images of a particular part of the body produced by a CT scan with PET images created by the reaction of the patient's body to an injected material; in this cae, radioactive glucose water. According to Radiologist James Neumann, M.D., the glucose material clearly defines where the cancer is by showing up as bright "hot spots" on the scan. He said cancer cells metabolize sugar at a faster rate, and the scan picks-up that activity in the bright areas. Doctors can then stage the cancer depending on the areas where additional "hot spots" appear, i.e., lymph nodes or other organs. Sometimes these metabolic "hot spots" can reveal disease states before structural damage is evident, and in some cases, this early detection can alter the course of action. For instance, a physician may be able to avoid sending a patient for a biopsy or another invasive procedure. This in turn can help lower the cost of care.

The most common applications of PET in cancer patients are for aiding diagnosis when other tests are inconclusive, staging the extent of cancer, and detecting recurrent disease before it escalates or spreads. Dr. Janssen believes this full body scan is the best determiner of whether there is cancer in the body. He applauds Citizens Medical Center for investing in the new inhouse machine. "This is a better machine than the portable unit. The image quality is better. The larger bore allows for accurate treatment planning for radiation and for CT simulations for all radiotherapy, which we didn't have before," Janssen said.

His partner, Radiation Oncologist Dr. Karl Chen, said having the new machine inhouse also helps patients get results much faster and begin treatment, because they no longer have to wait for the portable unit to come once a week. The new PET/CT scanner at Citizens Medical Center is extremely patient friendly. Total scan time is approximately one and a half hours with actual time in the scanner ranging from 20 to 30 minutes. The scanner features a unique open gantry that promotes patient comfort and allows staff to interact with the patient during the scan. Citizens Medical Center strives to make the patient even more comfortable by providing ambient lighting in the room during the scan. Appointments are now being taken for PET/CT scans at Citizens Medical Center.

To schedule an appointment, call the Centralized Scheduling Department at (361) 570-7277.