Diagnostic Imaging Suite Unveiled

Nova Scotians with serious illnesses such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diseases of the heart will no longer have to leave the province to get a sophisticated and potentially life-saving medical test.

Nova Scotia's first Positron Emission Tomography and Computerized Tomography (PET/CT) Diagnostic Imaging Suite is serving patients at the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax.

Health Minister Chris d'Entremont, today, July 16, participated in a tour and opening ceremony as the PET/CT program was unveiled at the Victorial General site of the QEII.

"This is another exciting first for Nova Scotia," Mr. d'Entremont said. "We’ve been making significant investments in equipment to improve the quality of health care in our province. Having this sophisticated machine will help doctors give better care to patients closer to home."

The province contributed $3.5 million to the PET/CT program. The remaining $2.5 million was provided by the QEII Foundation, including $500,000 contributions each from Aliant and a group of radiologists.

Patients who needed this test previously, had to travel outside of Nova Scotia. Now, the province has the capability to treat every patient that needs this procedure.

"The cost and inconvenience of travelling out of province will no longer be a concern when a patient's doctor considers the need for a PET/CT scan," said Dr. David Barnes, professor of radiology at Dalhousie University. "This imaging technology is very useful in the investigation of certain types of cancer and, to a lesser extent, diseases of the heart and the brain."

Paul Peters of Bridgewater went to Montreal and Vancouver to get a PET/CT scan. He made the difficult decision to go away, but he's glad future patients who need this procedure will be able to stay closer to home.

"In my own case, the reality of not having had access to the PET/CT scanner locally would likely have meant that my residual cancer would not have been detected early enough and I would not be alive today," Mr. Peters said.

A PET/CT scanner involves the injection of mild radioactive isotopes into the patient. These safe amounts of radioactive material show doctors what the body and any diseases are doing.