Cuba introduces modern emission tomography system

HAVANA, Cuba, Dec 15 (ACN) A modern system of positron emission tomography and computerized tomography which will contribute to the development of new drugs in Cuba is in the start-up phase at the Isotope Center (CENTIS).

Rene Leyva Montaña, MSc and director of the institution, announced that it is the procedure called SPECT/PET/CT AnyScan, which will start to provide services in its Direction of clinical researches.

When fully operational, it will bring medical imaging to the most advanced level; the device is capable of performing high quality scans in both nuclear and radiological modalities and offers all the advantages of diagnosis and planning for therapy, and even reduces the number of visits per patient.

It is estimated that 80 percent of nuclear medicine procedures use it, and its implementation can help increase exports of this product and the radiopharmaceuticals and services associated with its use.

Besides, the starting up and scaling up of a high productivity installation of yttrium-90 (90Y) will encourage its boom in the treatment modality, as it does not depend in this case on the complicated import logistics.

This investment is also expected to be completed in 2021 because it is an isotope that has a wide range of uses in radiotherapy to treat some forms of cancer.
Founded in 1988, CENTIS is one of the groups of the agency of nuclear energy and advanced technologies, which belongs to the Cuban ministry of science, technology and environment.