- This team offers highly specialized diagnoses with unique cutting-edge technology in Latin America in the areas of oncology, neurology, cardiology and infectious diseases.
- During the first two decades, it has helped to care for more than 61,000 patients.
- It also works for the production of radiopharmaceuticals and has developed 250 thousand doses.
In 2002, on the ground floor of the Research Tower of that academic entity, the PET-Cyclotron for the nuclear detection of diseases and in 2016 two Mixed Service, Research and Teaching Units were established: Radiopharmacy-Cyclotron Unit and PET-CT Unit.
The head of the Clinical Research Branch of the Faculty of Medicine, Rosa María Wong Chew, stated that these units are national and international references in the matter. It is a highly specialized diagnosis that is regularly expensive at the private level, even in many public institutions this technology is not even available.
“From a study that can last an hour, it is reduced to ten minutes with cutting-edge technology, with unique instruments in Latin America. Therefore, we are constantly renewing ourselves to continue being reference units, serving the community and training human resources to take these technologies to other places.”
The PET-Cyclotron has treated more than 61 thousand patients; Y Radiopharmacy-C has provided (as a producer), more than 250 thousand doses of radiopharmaceuticals for Positron Emission Tomography studies (PET), without interruption.
What is PET?
A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is a medical diagnostic technique by which Functional images from the spatio-temporal distribution of radiopharmaceuticals directed at specific molecular targets.
What is evaluated is the biochemistry of the human body at the molecular level, up to what is known as molecular nuclear medicine.
The equipment used is hybrid, that is, it is made up of a part that provides anatomical information. In this case the computed tomography (CT) scan and then the PET provides the functional phase. Being acquired from the same frame of reference, an image is generated that yields data from both aspects.
Radiopharmacy
Miguel Ángel Ávila Rodríguez, head of the Radiopharmacy-Ciclotrón Unit (URC) of the Faculty of Medicine, dedicated to producing radiopharmaceuticals with the highest quality standards for use in PET-based molecular imaging studies, highlighted that it has a global of more than 250 thousand unit doses in 20 years.
“We work with radioactive atoms, we have a small particle accelerator, a radiopharmacy laboratory with a quality control area. We also have renovated facilities and we are governed by the current NOM, with new fourth-generation chemical synthesis modules, and thus have a wide range of radiopharmaceuticals that we distribute not only in Mexico City, but also in other entities to 25 public institutions. and private”.
PET unit
Miguel Ángel Olarte Casas, head of the PET-CT Unit, recalled that he offers the service to the general public in the care of cancer patients who are evaluated on their tumor cells. While the field of action was also extended to neurology, in addition to those already carried out in specialties such as cardiology and infectology.
The specialist recalled that positron emission tomography (PET) is a non-invasive study, which represents a significant advantage.
“This equipment as such is unique in Latin America, because it allows us to identify very small lesions, and even with its updates, fewer doses of radiopharmaceuticals can be administered, which represents less exposure to radiation, we do it in five or ten minutes, so that we are the spearhead in this area”.
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