Positron Emission Tomography Center to open in Belarus soon

The Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Center will soon open at the N.N. Alexandrov National Cancer Center of Belarus. It is going to be unmatched in the CIS and Eastern Europe. The official opening ceremony is scheduled for 8 October. Combining the PET and computed tomography (CT) methods paved way to the so-called hybrid technologies. Today PET/CT is perhaps one of the most sensitive and specific methods of diagnostics. Up till now this method has not been practiced in Belarus due to the lack of necessary equipment. With the PET center in operation, Belarusian radiology physicians, oncologists, cardiologists, neurologists and specialists of related specialties will have more diagnostic capacities. Director of the PET center Ruslan Sakovich talks to BelTA about how the tactics of treatment of cancer patients will change and when the center will receive its first patients.

The PET center consists of two main divisions: the PET/CT diagnostics laboratory and the cyclotron and radiochemistry laboratory that manufactures radiopharmaceuticals. The PET/CT diagnostics laboratory is arranged in such a way as to make sure that patients who are going to undergo PET scanning and those who already did would not cross paths.

Before the procedure the patient is sent to a separate booth for relaxation. Here, the patient gets prepared for the procedure after a radiotracer injection. Every booth is equipped with a special armchair which reclines for the maximum comfort. Booths are also fitted with CCTV cameras for a centralized control over patients.

Such relaxation booths are a rare thing in foreign centers. Common space with armchairs is usual for such purposes. Similar facilities are envisaged for patients that wait for radiation monitoring after the procedure (recovery booths).

The presence of three PET/CT scanners is another feature that distinguishes the national center from many foreign analogues. These are ultramodern models from a leading PET/CT scanner producer (two of them are the model that has been installed in the post-Soviet space for the first time since their emergence on the market). Belarus has had no such equipment before. In Russia such centers has one or two homographs as a rule. A scanner costs about €1.6-1.7 million, while the total cost of the PET center project exceeds Br450 billion.

Among the advantages of PET/CT scanners is high diagnostic accuracy and early detection of cancer. Of course, there are other methods of detecting cancer at an early stage, including screening tests. The use of PET/CT scanning is appropriate when other methods do not give results.

The new equipment can be used not only for cancer diagnostics (70% of the total). PET scanners are also used in cardiology (10%) and neurology (20%).

The price for a PET scan is currently pending approval by the Belarusian Health Ministry. Foreign healthcare centers charge some $1,000-1,200. “Taking into account that we produce our own radiopharmaceuticals at the center, I think the price will be around $700-800. In any case, all things considered, our scans will be cheaper than going abroad,” Ruslan Sakovich believes. At the same time he thinks that, scans should be absolutely free for cancer patients.

“We will charge mainly those patients who will be coming from abroad. The PET centers in our neighboring countries do not manage to satisfy the demand. Many foreigners have already expressed the willingness to come to our center,” Ruslan Sakovich said.

It has already been mentioned that the Belarusian PET center produces its own radiopharmaceuticals. Specialists of the center will use fluorodeoxyglucose, a glucose analog, in their work.

A special lab has been set up at the center to perform quality control. Before launching the production of a radiopharmaceutical, it is necessary to make sure that it is absolutely appropriate for medical use in terms of microbiological and chemical purity and some other criteria.

For the sake of protecting the personnel every room in the center has been fitted with an automated system designed to detect pollution and background radiation spikes. The system allows monitoring the situation in real time to prevent emergencies.

Special containers are available in “hot” chambers to collect radioactive waste. Liquid waste flows into special sewers located below the building. Two independent reservoirs with the volume of 1,600 liters each can operate for at least three days. The time is sufficient for disposal since waste dissolves virtually completely and is rendered absolutely inactive within 24 hours.

The PET center will be manned by highly qualified specialists. The medical personnel have the relevant specializations and considerable practical experience of working with computer tomography, magnetic resonance tomography, and radiation medicine in Belarusian healthcare institutions. They have also studied abroad, including in Poland, Switzerland, and Russia. Specialists of the cyclotron and radiochemistry lab are primarily chemists and physicists. They have also been trained in Belarus and abroad, including courses required to operate a nuclear power plant.

The Positron Emission Tomography Center is scheduled to officially open on 8 October. However, according to Ruslan Sakovich, once it is open, the center will have to undergo a series of tests before it can welcome the first patients.