Annual report 2004 - Compagnia di San Paolo

Institutional activities in 2004
Health
PET-CT Centre: Cyclotron and Radiochemistry and Radio Pharmacy Laboratory
San Giovanni Battista Hospital, Turin
PET-CT (Positron Emission Tomography - Computed
Tomography) is a non–invasive diagnostic imaging
system based on the use of radioactive tracers which,
incorporated within complex molecules, are
administered to the patient. The significance and the
amount of the distribution of the tracers inside the human
body get detailed metabolic-functional information on
biochemical processes which regulate the “state of
health” or the onset of illness.
PET is a valid diagnosis tool in oncology, cardiology and
neurology. In particular, in oncology PET represents a
valid option both for documenting metastases in a single
examination and to distinguish between recurrent
tumour and radiation necrosis.
The benefits of PET firstly relate to the quality of
assistance to the patient, with less painful, risky,
traumatising or invasive diagnostic procedures, and
reducing patients exposure to ionising radiation of
artificial origin. Another benefit of PET is cost
containment, thanks to the reduction of diagnostic
procedures, a more precise staging of the illness and the
improvement of the diagnoses reliability.
One estimate on the epidemiological data and the
evidence of PET impact has shown the need for Piedmont
in 7,000 tests per year in the start up stage and 15,000
tests per year working at full capacity.
In the light of those considerations, the Compagnia
granted an award of € 2.5 million in 2002 for the
purchase of PET equipment, and € 6 million in 2004 for
the production of a Cyclotron-Radio Pharmacy structure
suitable for the distribution of the radiotracer FDG.
The PET Centre of the San Giovanni Battista Hospital in
Turin (Molinette) will be made up of: a PET scanner
displaying the spatial distribution of the radiotracers
subject to diagnostic examination; a cyclotron (the only
one in the Province of Turin), for the production of radio
nuclides for PET diagnosis, in clinical activities and
applied research, and the provision of FDG to other Turin
health facilities; a radio chemistry-radio pharmacy
laboratory to produce the radiotracers.
The radiochemistry - radio pharmacy laboratory will be
equipped for the production and the quality control of the
radiotracers produced for PET diagnosis, respecting the
regulation in force on the subject.
The presence of a diagnostic service at San Giovanni
Battista Hospital of Turin which does not depend on third
party production services for radiotracers will allow the
Hospital to distribute the radiotracer FDG to various
users in the Turin area. It will also allow to perform PET
tests with radiotracers other than FDG, planning high
profile research activities, also thanks to the university
context and the existing network of scientific relations.
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