Southern hospitals simultaneously stopped PET/CT scans for 6 months, can cancer patients wait?

The sudden suspension of PET/CT scans at hospitals in the South has caused many patients to worry. Readers have asked why there was no prior preparation and who is responsible?

Medical staff take PET/CT scan for patient - Photo: DUYEN PHAN

As reported by Tuoi Tre Online , the only cyclotron in the South, which supplies the radioactive isotope 18F-FDG, stopped operating, causing PET/CT systems of many hospitals to be "shelved".

Because of this, the opportunity to diagnose the patient's cancer stage is at a standstill.

Previously, another large-scale radioactive isotope manufacturing facility under a public-private partnership in Ho Chi Minh City had to close due to regulatory issues. The disruption in the supply of radioactive drugs has been persistent for many years without a fundamental solution.

Many readers were surprised by the above information because they thought that PET/CT scans were very important for many patients, especially those with cancer.

"I don't understand how something like this can still happen."

Reader Tuan asked: "Why was there no preparation?". "The higher authorities like the Ministry of Health should have prepared for this situation, not to let people's health be affected," reader Hai Phan continued to wonder.

Meanwhile, reader Sau exclaimed: "This is like a joke." Reader Mai Phuong was surprised: "It's incomprehensible that something like this could still happen."

"I read this but don't understand what's going on? Just two hospitals have 20 cases needing X-rays every day, how will it affect the next 6 months?", reader Truong spoke up.

According to reader Huong Vu, the sudden stop like that affected the patient and prevented treatment. The hospital did not plan ahead, now it has to stop for 6 months, which is unreasonable!

This reader also believes that hospitals and technical departments that have expensive testing machines that need to be repaired or replaced need to review and plan regularly every year to promptly resolve the problem and avoid interrupting the diagnosis of patients.

Reader with email leth****@gmail.com also emphasized the need to install and operate the new furnace before stopping the old one. If it takes 6 months to complete, I am afraid many patients cannot wait.

Meanwhile, acbs provided more information that currently there are hospitals that do not have space to arrange the new cyclotron system. Furthermore, to be able to produce drugs, the cyclotron must be connected in a closed chain with the system of synthesizing, distributing, and packaging radioactive drugs.

Therefore, it is necessary to install the new machine in the exact location of the old machine, otherwise it is necessary to invest in new accompanying infrastructure.

Who is responsible when PET/CT scanners stop working?

Reader Nguyen Thanh Hiep frankly raised the issue: "Although those in charge and using the PET/CT room all know that cyclotron furnace failures have occurred frequently in recent years.

At the same time, it is well known that replacing this furnace requires at least 6 months of assembly before it can be put into use. The relevant units also know that requesting budget to buy a new furnace is not a one-day or two-day process.

But it was just let go, no one spoke up, so today all three major hospitals in the city and provincial hospitals have stopped doing PET/CT scans for 6 months. Can patients wait? Whose responsibility is it?

"I hope the authorities will soon have a solution to serve the needs of patients in the Southern region," reader Hoang Vu suggested. Reader Tran Quang Dinh also hopes to have a new machine soon to help patients have less suffering and hardship.

ATT readers believe that it is necessary to invest in a new cyclotron furnace quickly, because no diagnostic method can completely replace PET/CT in terms of tumor biology.

Currently, the ability to transport radioactive drugs from far away places like Da Nang or Hanoi is not feasible because radioactive FDG (18F-FDG) has a very short half-life (only a few hours), so it cannot be transported from too far away.

"Please think of the patients first, they are in great pain and despair," reader Nguyen Huy Thang sent a message.

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THUY DUONG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/benh-vien-phia-nam-dong-loat-ngung-chup-pet-ct-6-thang-benh-nhan-ung-thu-cho-duoc-khong-20250622143734757.htm