As part of an effort to establish a comprehensive oncology program, North Fulton Regional Hospital will acquire a GE Discovery LS imaging scanner that will help doctors see and treat cancer. Discovery LS will help physicians deliver better cancer care from diagnosis to follow up.

The Discovery LS combines a sophisticated, positron emission tomography (PET) system, the GE Advance^™ NXi, a computed tomography (CT) scanner, the GE LightSpeed^™. “This is an exciting new development in the physician’s detection and diagnosis of cancer,” said Judy Over, Director of Radiology at North Fulton Regional Hospital. “Combining PET and CT into one exam gives doctors two crucial pieces of information to help them prescribe the best course of treatment for their patients.”

A PET scan detects changes in cellular function – how cells are utilizing nutrients like sugar and oxygen. Areas with a high degree of metabolic activity have a greater chance of being cancerous. A CT scan allows doctors to see the internal structures within the human body. Together a PET/CT scan allows doctors to view metabolic activity and pinpoint where abnormal lesions are located so that they can target the disease.

“In addition to the clinical advantages, offering patients a combined PET/CT scan can reduce the amount of time they will have to spend undergoing multiple procedures,” according to North Fulton Regional Hospital Oncology Coordinator Lori Hall. “The Discovery LS gives clinicians both metabolic and anatomic information in one 30-minute scan.”

The GE Discovery LS is manufactured by GE Medical Systems of Waukesha, Wisconsin. GE Medical Systems is a global leader in medical information and technology. Since 1997, GE has invested nearly $50 million in the development of the Discovery LS and $80 million in research and development of the LightSpeed CT and Advance NXi PET platforms. GE Medical Systems used Six Sigma customer-driven quality standards to study the clinical needs of customers and create a product to meet those needs.

For more information about this new technology or any other advances in the area of Oncology Services, please call 770-751-2867.