Cancer patients in Tayside are among the first in Scotland to benefit from a new advanced scanning technology that offers a more accurate diagnosis of a possible relapse.

Hailed as a 'new frontier' in receptor cancer imaging, the Scottish Government-funded service is initially being offered to neuroendocrine cancer patients before extending to those with prostate cancer in the coming months.

More detailed information given by the Gallium PET/CT (Gallium Positron Emission Tomography with Computerised Tomography) technology enables clinicians to better identify the location and spread of recurrent tumours, allowing for the alteration of treatment plans if necessary.

Dr Prasad Guntur, a consultant radiologist with NHS Tayside who is leading the service’s introduction, says the new Gallium PET/CT is a crucial addition.

He said: “Following a diagnosis of cancer, treatment plans are made according to the stage of the disease in each patient. Accurate disease staging is vital and requires the use of PET/CT scans and this is where the advanced images produced by a Gallium PET/CT can benefit cancer patients.”

“Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in males in UK and this new addition to our scanning services will be hugely helpful in their management pathways.”

First announced in 2019, this ‘game changing’ service is to be provided in three other health boards – NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lothian and NHS Grampian – and was expected to be operational by Spring 2020.

Speaking back in 2019, Dr Roger Staff, PET/CT lead for the Scottish Clinical Imaging Network, said the introduction of the Gallium technology would “future-proof centres and allow new techniques to be introduced faster.”

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