Cancer Imaging Using PET-CT: Genesis And Current State In India

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CANCER IS perhaps the most devastating word and disease known to mankind. Known from the times of ancient Egyptians, cancer has so far eluded understanding and remains largely uncured till this day. It leaves in its wake debilitating pain, severe physical and mental trauma, and financial ruin – not only for those suffering from it but also for their loved ones.

India, with a population of over 130 crore people, has had to bear its share of misery and despair caused by cancer – every year, 7 lakh new cases are registered in our country, and more than 70 percent of these cases die because of late detection. Many cases are not even registered because of the speed of the disease.

When detected early, localised cancers can be managed and treated. They can be surgically excised, and the patients can be regularly monitored.

PET-CT is a state-of-theart imaging technology that allows for screening, diagnosis and monitoring of cancer and helps in improving clinical outcomes and survival rates.

This technology is heavily under-penetrated in India – we have <200 PET-CTs in India, mostly concentrated in metro cities. India needs more than 1,000 machines spread across the country – The global WHO standard is 1 PET-CT Scanner per 500,000 people.

PET-CT – A history

While the CT scanner was invented in the 1972 and the first Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scanner was developed in 1974. More than 25 years passed before Davis Townsend and Ronald Nutt built and installed the first PET-CT system at the University of Pittsburgh in 1998.