Cardiac PET has long been an established test with significant advantages over other Nuclear Imaging tests that assess for coronary artery disease. Active Programs exist in Alberta, Ontario and Quebec.
Key Advantages for Patients
- Shorter test
- Lower Radiation Exposure
- Better at detecting abnormalities
- Smaller chance of mistakes in reading the images
- Fewer unneccessary surgical and procedural interventions because of fewer mistakes
Key Advantages to the Healthcare System
- Less labour intensive, requiring fewer technologist hours
- Fewer false positives means lower downstream costs than existing tests
- If done in high enough volumes, it can be cheaper to do than existing tests
The Plan for Cardiac PET in British Columbia
In 2027, St. Paul’s will see the deployment of the first non-oncologic PET camera in the province. Similar plans are in development at Royal Columbian Hospital in Burnaby and at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria.
PHSA Tiers of Service Document on Nuclear Imaging
| Tier | Service Description and Scope | Service Requirements | Workforce Requirements |
| 3 | May provide diagnostic and therapeutic outpatient nuclear medicine service. | For sites providing nuclear medicine, dedicated patient spaces and access to a regionally coordinated radiopharmaceutical supply. | For sites providing nuclear medicine: Nuclear medicine technologist on site. Access to nuclear medicine physician (may be virtual). |
| 4 | Provides diagnostic and therapeutic outpatient nuclear medicine services. | One or more gamma cameras offering single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) combined with computed tomography (SPECT-CT). Access to radiopharmaceuticals. Access to non-oncologic and oncologic positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (PET-CT) preferred (on site or at networked site). May have access to cardiac PET-CT. | Access to nuclear medicine physician (may be virtual). Nuclear medicine technologists on site. |
| 5 | Provides inpatient and outpatient diagnostic and therapeutic nuclear medicine services | Access to a readily available isotope supply for both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, either manufactured on site (preferred) or through timely delivery. PET-CT on site or through a formal networked arrangement with another site. | As for Tier 4. In addition, nuclear medicine physician on site as required |
| 6 | Provides support for one or more subspecialty provincial service(s) (e.g. cardiac transplant, pediatric neurosurgical, transplant, congenital cardiac, burns). Provides novel therapeutic and diagnostic radiotracers. | Provides learning activities for physicians and staff from lower tiered medical imaging services to practice critical skills where limited opportunity exists in “real life” (e.g. simulation, on site clinical experiences). Conducts and supports others to conduct interprofessional research, including clinical trials, and innovation. | In addition, nuclear medicine physicist, preferably on site. Radiopharmaceutical scientist (may be virtual) |
In Winter of 2024, the Provincial Health Services Authority conducted a consultation with medical experts in all specialties on developing a list of what was felt to be appropriate services to provide at different hospitals to be consistent with other developed countries.
The provinces goal is to have Cardiac PET access at Tier 5 comprehensive regional centers in British Columbia and some Tier 4 sites (comprehensive community hospitals) to ensure everyone in this province has access to this essential test.
So far no final funding approvals have been made for PET scanners outside of St. Paul’s to address this unmet need.
What can I do to improve access to this test?
Let politicians and decisionmakers know this is important to you.
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