A case for the provision of positron emission tomography (PET) in South African public hospitals
Date
2006-07
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Health and Medical Publishing Group
Abstract
Nuclear medicine is expanding into new areas of clinical practice, of which positron emission tomography (PET) is an example. As in new treatments with labelled monoclonal
antibodies, especially for lymphoma, the wide introduction
of PET into health care in South Africa presents benefits and
challenges to patients, doctors, and funders.
PET is an imaging modality that has been available in
specialised centres in the developed world since the 1970s. It was initially used as a research tool to image organ function in vivo. The development of the radiopharmaceutical F-18-
fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), a glucose analogue taken up avidly
by the majority of tumours, has resulted in PET now being
used routinely in the management of many cancer patients
in centres with access to it. There has been rapid growth of
PET in the developed world and it has also been introduced
into developing countries, including Egypt. We welcome
government initiatives to establish PET imaging in South
Africa, as evidenced by the provision of cyclotrons in Gauteng
and Cape Town.
Description
The original publication is available at hhtp://www.samj.org.za
CITATION: Sathekge, M. M., et al. 2006. A case for the provision of positron emission tomography (PET) in South African public hospitals. South African Medical Journal, 96(7):598-601.
CITATION: Sathekge, M. M., et al. 2006. A case for the provision of positron emission tomography (PET) in South African public hospitals. South African Medical Journal, 96(7):598-601.
Keywords
Tomography, Emission -- South Africa
Citation
Sathekge, M. M. et al. 2006. A case for the provision of positron emission tomography (PET) in South African public hospitals. South African Medical Journal,96(7):598-601.