PET/CT Scans

PET/CT Scan

It's amazing what you can discover in your own backyard.

Middlesex Hospital's new PET/CT system, the GE Discovery ST is among the most advanced diagnostic tools in the world. PET/CT utilizes two major medical technologies (Positron Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography) to produce a combined image of both how the body is functioning and its anatomy. PET/CT can greatly enhance how cancer is diagnosed and treated, along with helping to diagnose Alzheimer's and heart disease.

The "ST" in the system's name stands for "See and Treat," which is what this new system allows physicians to do. It provides visually enhanced and more accurate imaging that can determine a more effective plan for both chemotherapy and radiation treatment. The system not only produces better images of the body, but also shortens scan times for patients who in the past had to get PET and CT imaging done separately.

"The acquisition of the new PET/CT system is another example of Middlesex Hospital's ongoing commitment to innovation and technology," said Craig Walden, M.D., chairman of the hospital's Department of Radiology. "It is rare that a community hospital offers this level of sophistication in diagnostic capabilities."

According to Mark Kimmel, M.D., a medical oncologist with CT Oncology Group in Middletown and medical director of the Middlesex Hospital Cancer Center, "This technology is a major milestone in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer here at Middlesex Hospital. For our patients, it will mean so many positive things, such as increased comfort and shorter exam times, but most importantly it will dramatically improve physicians' ability to more accurately assess their disease and be able to treat it sooner and more effectively. This technology will have an enormous impact on the lives of the patients we treat, and their families."