In modern times, its leaps and bounds technology and especially in medicinecombined with ever growing need for provision of specialized health services and the application new medical methodshave opened new horizons in the more complete understanding of the human organism, the application of innovative techniques that ensure personalized prevention, as well as the more effective diagnosis and treatment of a multitude of diseases, especially malignancies.

These new methods include the use of artificial intelligence through robotic medicine for therapeutic intervention in surgical diseases with minimization of the surgical trauma, but also the cutting edge technologies in molecular imagingwhich provide accurate information in cardiology, neurology and especially oncology.

Among the most revolutionary methods including its union PET technology (Positron Emission Tomography) with CT (Computed Tomography), known as PET/CT.

The characteristics of PET/CT technology

THE positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is a hybrid system, a modern method of molecular imaging, which finds many applications in cardiology, neurology and especially oncology. It combines two different technologies for imaging the inside of the human body, namely Positron Emission Tomography (PET), which is a cutting-edge technology in Nuclear Medicine, and Computed Tomography (CT), in one machine.

Their combination brings excellent and comprehensive results in medicine, as it offers morphological and at the same time functional, biological and metabolic mapping of the patient. Specifically, the CT (computed tomography) was and still is an anatomical imaging method with high definition, widely usedwith multitude of applicationsand the RETusing radiolabeled molecules, provides functional information about the state of tissues and organs, as well as their pathology.

The software (SYNGO) provided by the machine creates the fusion of the images, i.e. the co-presentation of the PET image with the CT image. By simultaneously imaging anatomy and function, we can image living tissues – healthy and pathological, which justifies the name “BIOGRAPH” (biological recorder). At the same time, the machine is equipped with a multitomed helical CT and a positron tomograph new generation with LSO crystals for the faster and more accurate creation of the image that focuses on the function and metabolism of the organism, without the need to move the patient.

The main applications of PET/CT examination

Main applications of the examination concern various branches of medicine. In Oncology, is used from the initial diagnosis of the disease, in its staging and re-staging, in the early assessment of the therapeutic effect, in the detection of recurrence, while it plays a crucial role in the management of patients with neoplasms and in the selection of the appropriate treatment for them. Characteristic examples are Hodgkin’s disease, non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, non-small cell lung cancer, head and neck cancer, gynecological cancers, gastrointestinal tract cancers and melanomas, while it is now widely used in the planning of radiation therapy plans for more accurate and complete irradiation of cancerous tissues while respecting healthy organs.

At the same time, it is also used in non-oncological indications in Neurology with the early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, in the differential diagnosis of the various types of dementia and in the detection of the epileptogenic focus in epileptic patients, as well as in Cardiology by detecting viable myocardium. In addition, it is a very effective test in the investigation of a solitary lung nodule and the investigation of fever of unknown etiology and inflammation.

What should the patient expect during the examination?

The PET/CT procedure begins with the administration of a special radiopharmaceutical (which is in most cases analogous to glucose) in order to create images that capture the metabolic activity of tissues or the concentration of a specific target (e.g. a receptor) in the area of the body. The examinee lies for approximately 50 to 60 minutes in a specially designed area, before the imaging process begins. He first undergoes low-dose CT imaging and subsequently PET, with the imaging data being sent to a computer and with the help of software the PET and CT images are combined to obtain the necessary images and read them. Test results are available in two working days.

The drugs used to perform the test

The most commonly used radiopharmaceutical is radiolabeled fluorine (F-18) fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), which when administered follows the metabolic pathway of glucose and is mainly used in oncology. The general principle of using FDG in oncological patients is based on the fact that neoplastic cells express the so-called glycolytic phenotype and therefore take up (metabolize) the radiopharmaceutical to a greater extent than the surrounding healthy tissues. With this drug, the test is performed both during the initial staging and mainly during restaging and evaluation of the therapeutic outcome of patients with lymphoma and solid cancers.

In addition to FDG, other more specialized radiopharmaceuticals have been designed and developed, such as Ga68 DOTATE for the investigation of neuroendocrine tumors, and F18 or Ga68 labeled PSMA for the investigation of biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer or in the initial staging of the disease in specific high-risk cases. Recently we also have F18 forbetaben available for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease, while we will soon have new valuable oncology markers such as Ga68 FAPI available.

The importance of the PET/CT method

The use of PET/CT Tomography contributes to earlier and more accurate diagnosis of diseases, leading to more timely and effective treatment. A typical example are cancer patients, in whom the application of PET/CT Tomography resulted in a change in the management of their treatment in 30-35%, i.e. in 1/3 of the patients, with a significant increase in the immediacy and success rate .

Overall, PET/CT represents a technological revolution in the way we diagnose and manage neoplasms. The combined use of PET and CT provides rich information on tissue function and structure, while the examination offers personalized treatment solutions for each patient. This advanced technology opens new horizons in the battle against neoplasms, offering hope and improving the quality of life for patients.

HEALTH and PET/CT

The Department of PET/CT of HYGEIA it’s the first established in Greece and operating from 2004. Has received ISO 9001:2008 certification and the examinations are conducted by a team of specialized scientists, such as Nuclear Doctors, Radiologists, Radiation Physicists and Technologists, who have received special training from leading international centers.

This particular technology proves once again that HYGEIA Hospital leads in the integrated management of multiple diseases, offering the most modern diagnostic and therapeutic medical services, while at the same time providing continuous and comprehensive support to both patients and their families.

All the departments and clinics of HYGEIA are in constant collaboration in order to provide comprehensive medical care, from the stage of prevention, early diagnosis to specialized treatment, monitoring and treatment of any disease, while in oncological cases it takes care of personalization of the therapeutic approach, with the aim of better quality of life and healing.

The most organized oncology clinics, the state-of-the-art imaging, diagnosis and treatment departments, the state-of-the-art Radiotherapeutic Oncology Center, the only γ-Knife Brain Radiosurgery Department in Greece, combined with the latest generation technological equipment and the leading scientific & nursing staff, lead HYGEIA to the top of private care in Greece, fully justifying the title of the main protagonist in shaping a healthy landscape dominated by reliability, pioneering and respect for people and life.