Cincinnati - The University Hospital, 234 Goodman St., is holding an open house on Tuesday, Aug. 8 from 2:30 - 4 p.m., to showcase its new Discovery ST, a redesigned PET/CT system completely optimized for cancer care. Members of the media are invited to attend for photographs, demonstrations and/or interviews with Mariano Fernandez-Ulloa, M.D., medical director, nuclear medicine, The University Hospital, and professor of clinical radiology, University of Cincinnati.

The new system integrates a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scanner with a multi-slice Computed Tomography (CT) scanner and provides physicians with more sensitivity, speed, resolution and diagnostic confidence when treating cancer. The system can also aid in diagnosing and identifying heart disease and brain disorders.

The "ST" in Discovery ST stands for "See and Treat," which is what this new system allows physicians to do. Built with Six Sigma methodology (a standardized process and tool set that helps an organization focus on developing and delivering near-perfect products and services), the Discovery ST assists physicians in seeing the disease and planning radiation therapy treatment. The new system will shorten scan times and provide improved image quality in both 2D and 3D modes. "With this system, we will have better image quality and greater confidence in image interpretation," said Dr. Fernandez-Ulloa.

With its larger bore size and shorter tunnel length, physicians have more flexibility in positioning larger patients and for better radiation therapy planning, and helps claustrophobic patients.

The system combines the fastest and most sophisticated computed tomography (CT) technology with the most advanced Positron Emission Tomography (PET) technology - all in a single exam. PET creates images of high metabolic activity in the body, rather than creating images of anatomy only. CT scans allows doctors to see the internal structures within the human body. Together, a PET/CT scan allows physicians to view metabolic activity and pinpoint where abnormal lesions are located so that they may target the disease.

Before having a PET/CT scan, the patient receives a dose of a radiopharmaceutical tracer containing substances that mimic those normally used in the body including water, sugars, proteins and oxygen. These tracers accumulate in diseased cells. During the scan, the tracers are detected by the system, creating an image of the patient and highlighting any abnormal physiology. This image helps physicians determine if disease is present, the location and extent of disease, and track how rapidly it is spreading.

This PET/CT endeavor is being put into place by physicians within The University Hospital nuclear medicine department who have unique and extensive expertise and experience in the field of nuclear medicine, including PET.

The GE Discovery ST is manufactured by GE Medical Systems of Waukesha, Wis. GE Medical Systems is a global leader in medical information and technology.

The University Hospital is part of the Health Alliance, an integrated health care delivery system that also includes The Christ Hospital, The St. Luke Hospitals, The Jewish Hospital, Fort Hamilton Hospital, Drake Center, West Chester Medical Center and the physicians of Alliance Primary Care. To view other Health Alliance news releases, go to www.health-alliance.com/pressroom .

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