Southeast brought cancer care in
the region to a new level in 2002 with the implementation
of Positron Emission Tomography (PET).
PET is a valuable tool in diagnosing and staging
many forms of cancer, and is especially beneficial
when it is used in conjunction with other scanning
technologies and diagnostic techniques such as
mammography, biopsy, magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) and computerized tomography (CT).
One example of PET’s superior imaging capability
is its use among women with breast cancer. |
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PET offers superior evaluation
of the extent of disease following initial diagnosis
and nodal dissection and can replace the standard
imaging regimen of bone scans and CT scans because
it is more sensitive than both modalities in determining
the full extent of disease.
Southeast’s PET scanner is among the most
technologically advanced in the nation, providing
physicians with images that are unsurpassed by
any other PET unit in the region. Recent digital
upgrades to the scanner’s computer hardware
and software are making it possible for authorized
physicians to immediately access scanned images
from remote locations via modems and computer
terminals.
At the heart of Southeast’s PET unit is
a bismuth germanium oxide crystal, the gold standard
for PET scans. The scanner also has a wide range
of capabilities in cardiology and neurology.
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