Jamshedpur, June 28: PET-CT, an advanced imaging and diagnostic service was started at MTMH today in presence of Dr Rajan Chaudhry, GM, Medical Services.
PET-CT forms an essential part in management of cancer patients. Scientific treatment can be given only when spread of disease, recurrence etc is detected early. PET-CT offers two advantages: it detects disease early, at the molecular level (therefore, it is also known as molecular imaging) and it also helps in detecting nature of the tumour.
Four Cancer patients underwent PET CT scan, a facility that was hitherto not available at Jharkhand, for which they would have had to travel to Kolkata and other places in the past.
Commenting on the significant development, Dr. Rajan Chaudhry, GM Medical Services, Tata Steel said, �Building on the vision of creating significant impact on the cancer care landscape in this part of the world, today�s pioneering development will build further momentum in the battle against cancer and other deadly diseases. Now patients from the state have access to good infrastructure much nearer home, eliminating the need to travel long distances for PET-CT scans�
Dr. Sujata Mitra, Head Nuclear Medicine provided an outline of the four PET-CT scans that took place today, mentioned below.
One patient has cancer of two organs. After chemotherapy and radiation doctors now want to act investigate if the disease has spread to the lungs. Here PET-CT comes to the rescue because a normal CT may not confirm this. PET-CT findings will help in deciding the future course of remedial action.
Another patient has cancer involving the lymph nodes. He has been recently diagnosed with the disease and the consultant would plan treatment according to the extent of the disease. PET-CT here would help in initial disease staging and in deciding course of remedial action.
In case of the third patient, cancer of the lungs and bones has been detected. The site of cancer needs to be confirmed before treatment can start and PET-CT will help detect the same. The fourth patient has suspected disease recurrence, where again treatment will be given based on the PET-CT findings.
There are other areas in which PET-CT finds helps such as Cardiology, Neurology to name a few.
Dr Girish Parida, a post graduate from AIIMS has joined as PET-CT consultant. The PET-CT machine is now fully functional at MTMH, and for both patients and clinicians in Jharkhand, it will be prove to be of great help in disease management.
Earlier in March this year, Ratan Tata, Chairman of The Tata Trusts, inaugurated the new Comprehensive Cancer Care Facility at the newly renovated Meherbai Tata Memorial Hospital (MTMH) accompanied by N Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons with the objective of bringing in far reaching effect on improving Cancer care in Jharkhand.
The PET-CT machine installed at MTMH is the only one in Jharkhand and is an important diagnostic arm which will allow early cancer detection and recurrence. The brachytherapy equipment, used to deliver intra-cavitary radiation also has been replaced. In addition, a state of the art True Beam radiotherapy machine will considerably enhance the ability of the centre to treat patients with the most advanced and precise radiation therapy.
