Alberta PET-CT scans delayed again after cyclotron machine breakdown
Alberta Health Services says PET-CT scans will be further delayed because the cyclotron machine that makes material for the tests is out of service.
Urgent scans to detect cancer will still go ahead with help from other provinces
Alberta Health Services (AHS) says PET-CT scans — which are used to detect cancer — will be delayed again.
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The cyclotron in Edmonton that produces a material called fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) will be out of service for another week.
In the meantime, AHS is bringing in material from other sources to provide urgent scans.
AHS hoped on Wednesday it would have the machine fixed within a week.
"AHS is taking every possible step to fix the cyclotron and have it up and running as soon as possible," said health officials in a release.
"All PET-CT scans will be rebooked as soon as possible and are scheduled according to urgency as determined by AHS radiologists."
AHS will contact patients prior to any postponement of a PET-CT scan.