Earlier Detection with Greater Accuracy
St. Luke's Nuclear Medicine Department offers its patients SPECT/CT - an advanced medical imaging technology that combines single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and computed tomography (CT). The technology enables physicians to detect heart disease, cancer and other diseases earlier and target treatments with greater precision.
The SPECT/CT system allows physicians to obtain more detailed information and increased image clarity in a single, non-invasive procedure than is possible through separate procedures. The system detects changes in patients' molecular activity - before structural changes become visible - and combines this information with precise anatomical detail obtained through CT technology to pinpoint the location of abnormal tissue.
By providing complete information about the exact location, size, nature and extent of disease, the SPECT/CT system enables physicians at St. Luke's to make diagnoses with pinpoint accuracy, anywhere in the body. With earlier and more accurate diagnosis, physicians will be able to plan treatment more effectively and provide feedback on treatment efficacy, as well as potentially avoid unnecessary invasive surgery and reduce the risks of necessary surgery. As a result, physicians can better individualize their clinical decision-making and ultimately achieve better outcomes for patients.