Now Available at St. Joseph Hospital

On August 11, St. Joseph Hospital performed the very first positron emission tomography (PET) scan in greater Nashua. PET is an advanced technology that provides patients with better cancer care. This minimally invasive diagnostic imaging procedure is a single exam that evaluates the whole body with the mission of detecting cancerous cells the size of a pea.

PET studies focus on cellular activity to diagnose, stage, evaluate treatment and detect recurrent cancer. PET is the only modality that can accurately image multiple organs at once to diagnose malignancy and even provide information about whether cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

Very early detection of cancer is one important benefit of PET scans. According to Mary Voltz, MD, board-certified oncologist and hematologist at The Oncology Center at St. Joseph Hospital, "PET helps physicians identify cells that grow at a very fast rate, which is the case with cancer cells." In many cancer types, early detection of the cancer has been directly linked to the patient's successful recovery.

PET images are created with the help of three technologies: the cyclotron, which produces safe radioisotopes; the scanner, which records the location of the radioactive tracer as it accumulates in different body tissues; and the computer, which reconstructs the signals into three-dimensional images of the body.

"Where other imaging methods only provide mainly anatomical views, PET allows us to see how the body is functioning," said Beth Balmer, Director of Diagnostic Imaging at St. Joseph Hospital."

In addition to finding cancer, physicians need to know if the disease has spread to other parts of the body and where. This is called staging the patient. "At St. Joseph Hospital we provide the patients and their oncologists with additional information about the disease," said Brian Hu, MD, board-certified in Diagnostic Radiology at St. Joseph Hospital. "For example, we can tell not only if there is cancer but also other critical facts such as where the cancer is and how aggressive it is."

PET can be used to determine if cancer has been successfully treated or it has returned. "There's just no price you can put on peace of mind for a cancer survivor," said Beth Balmer, Director of Diagnostic Imaging at St. Joseph Hospital.

Physicians can see all this information without having to put the patient through invasive surgical procedures. PET is a safe and painless procedure with no known side effects. The scan usually takes about an hour and a half to complete.

For more information about PET scanning services at St. Joseph Hospital, call Beth Balmer, Director of Diagnostic Imaging, at (603) 882-3000 ext. 67101.