This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
New cancer imaging equipment
07/10/2005
New state of the art cancer imaging equipment has been announced for Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and the new West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow.
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging allows consultants to determine whether a cancer is spreading, whether a patient is responding to treatment and assists greatly in the planning of treatment.
An existing machine in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary will be replaced with a new generation imager. There will be a brand new machine installed at the new West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow.
Both will be linked to Cancer Centres in Edinburgh, Dundee and Inverness for instant access wherever patients are.
Health Minister Andy Kerr said:
"This is great news for cancer patients all over Scotland. PET imaging is a state of the art way of tracking and treating cancer.
"The kit in Aberdeen and Glasgow will link back to the other three cancer centres in Scotland. This means clinicians will be able to see the results instantly and treatment planning can be started immediately.
"GE Healthcare Technologies has been selected as the preferred manufacturer for the supply of the scanners for NHS Greater Glasgow and NHS Grampian. The details of the contract are in the process of being finalised.
"Cancer treatment in Scotland is as good as anywhere in the world - with new drugs and state of the art radiotherapy equipment in all of our cancer centres.
"Our continued investment in equipment such as PET imaging will ensure patients continue to get a high quality service backed up by state of the art imaging technology."
"Equipment like this means a better service. But we also want to have a faster service.
"I know there are concerns and anxieties felt by anyone who thinks they might have cancer.
"The 2005 cancer waiting target of 2 months is a big challenge facing the NHS. We set a stretching target. We recognise it will be difficult to meet.
"Waiting times are falling, but I want to see boards accelerate these improvements."
In March 2003 £5m capital investment from 2004-05 announced to support the development of PET services in Scotland.
The Aberdeen equipment should be replaced between January and March of 2006.
The new equipment in Glasgow should be installed between January and March 2007, co-located at Gartnavel Hospital with the new West of Scotland Cancer Centre.
Scotland has five Cancer Centres. They are situated in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Inverness.
From 31 December 2005, no patient urgently referred for cancer treatment should wait more than 2 months.