SPOKANE, WA –Breakthrough cancer imaging technology will soon be available only at Inland Imaging. Starting in November, doctors will utilize a combined PET/CT scanner to help in cancer detection and therapy planning. The new scanner combines the technology of positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) into a single powerful diagnostic imaging system.

   Inland Imaging will be the only Inland Northwest facility offering this new technology. It's a high-tech service that Ed Holmes III, MD, Director of Inland Imaging’s Nuclear Medicine Department, says will greatly benefit people across the state, as well as in Idaho and Canada.

   "We are really excited about being able to offer our patients the diagnostic capabilities of a PET/CT scanner," says Holmes. "With the advent of this new technology physicians are able to more accurately diagnose cancers, as well as better assess, plan and perform radiation and surgical treatments.”

   The PET/CT scanner integrates PET and CT technologies into a single machine, making it possible to collect both anatomic and metabolic information during a single examination. This integrated information permits more accurate tumor detection and localization for a variety of cancers, including breast, esophageal, cervical, melanoma, lymphoma, lung, colorectal, head and neck, and ovarian cancer.

   This technology not only results in faster scan times and higher-quality images, but also reduces biopsy sampling errors, improves therapy planning and assessment of response to treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

   "Inland Imaging has provided comprehensive health care services to the community for many years," says Steve Duvoisin, CEO of Inland Imaging. "Expanding our diagnostic capabilities with the addition of the PET/CT scanner will ensure our ability to offer high-quality services and deliver cost-effective care to our patients."

   Inland’s PET/CT scanner is located in their Sacred Heart Imaging Center on the first floor of the Sacred Heart Doctor’s Building. Scheduling for the exam begins in November. For more information or to schedule, please call (509) 455 - 4455.