Nuclear Technology Helps Doctors Peek Cancer

Compared to several decades ago, is now an opportunity to cure or longer survival of cancer patients are definitely improved because of increased knowledge and new therapeutic cancer treatment.

One supporter of cancer treatment that is not less important is the right diagnosis. With the technology of nuclear medicine, is now to determine the spread of cancer diagnosis can be done accurately by means of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Computed Tomography (CT).

PET-CT is a colorful three-dimensional imaging to detect changes or the activity of cells in the body using a radiopharmaceutical substance.
"This technology will provide a clearer picture of where the location of the lesion prior to therapy. In addition, this examination is also used to evaluate response to therapy," said Dr. Eko Purnomo, SpKN of MRCCC Siloam Hospital Jakarta.

In the PET-CT image of the cancer cells appear as bright spots because they have a higher metabolism than normal tissue. "Isotopes are injected into the patient's body will be captured by the cancer cells and accumulate so that it can be seen clearly where the cancer is active," he explained in a seminar Early Detection of Cancer Therapy and New Technology held in MRCCC Siloam Hospital, Jakarta, Friday (24 / 6 / 2011).

So far, many of the tools developed for early detection of cancer, neurological disorders, and cardiovascular, including Computed Tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

According to Dr. Eko, an excess of PET-CT is the speed and accuracy of diagnosis as well as its ability to examine all parts of the body. "The procedure is also easy examination, the patient need only injected with the isotope in the arm an hour before it is checked in PET-CT equipment," he explained.

The main function of PET-CT, according to Dr. Eko, among others, determine the spread of cancer in the body and helps the doctor plan treatment so that the targeted organs are irradiated. "Thus, the surrounding healthy tissue is not subject to radiation," he explained.

PET-CT is also useful for detecting tumor recurrence or search for the remaining tumors, determine the malignancy of tumors, as well as accurately determining the location of the biopsy. "This tool can be used to find all types of cancer, ranging from brain, skin, bone up," he explained.

Safe

Hearing the word nuclear, direct people shudder. In fact, the utilization of nuclear power in the world of health has done for decades. "No need for nuclear nuclear-phobia not only for power generation, but for various areas of life, including agriculture, food, and health," explains Prof. Dr. Johan S Masjhur, pioneer of nuclear medicine in Indonesia.

He explained that the first nuclear medicine in Indonesia is the leader in Southeast Asia, but has continued to decline. "Now we're in the bottom of the order, far behind," he encountered after the seminar.

Indonesia, he added, now has 15 nuclear medicine centers, but only some of which has a complete tool. "For example, PET-CT equipment which is an indicator of the progress of nuclear medicine. In Indonesia there are only two hospitals that have them and even then only in Jakarta," he said.

Nuclear medicine, according to him, used to good purpose for the patient. "Its use with prudence and within safe limits. In fact, the level of radiation is much smaller than the CT Scan," said Professor of the University of Padjadjaran Bandung.

In addition to the limitations of the tool, doctors who study the field of nuclear medicine itself is still small. "I am currently 18-20 educate physicians, outside of some who have graduated," he said.