University College Dublin and St Vincent's University Hospital have opened up a new PET CT Research Imaging Centre
James Menton, Chair of St. Vincent’s Healthcare Group with Professor Andrew Deeks, UCD President UCD, with the new PET CT Scanner
St Vincent’s University Hospital and UCD have opened a new PET CT Research Imaging Centre. This technology will be utilised for the treatment of patients as well as advanced research into major diseases including cancer, dementia and cardiac disease.
The opening of this new centre means that diseases will be detected earlier and diagnosed more accurately. Due to the high sensitivity and resolution of the scanner, radiologists will be able to gain higher quality images. It also means that patients will receive a lower dose of radiation as compared to conventional PET CT scanners.
This technology will also be used at UCD and St Vincent's University Hospital by clinical researchers to advance the medical scientific understanding of a number of diseases and to help determine better patient treatments.
President of University College Dublin, Professor Andrew Deeks, was present at the opening of the new PET CT Research Imaging Centre, and spoke highlighting the long history of partnership between UCD and St Vincent’s University Hospital.
Professor Paddy Mallon is a Full Professor Of Microbial Diseases/Consultant Microbiologist/Infectious Diseases at UCD in the School of Medicine. Prof Mallon is to conduct a study and now can use the PET CT to investigate the impact of long-term medication for conditions such as HIV on the heart.
Professor Paddy Mallon is also Consultant in Infectious Diseases, St. Vincent’s University Hospital and will be able to use the scanner to identify early changes in inflammation in the major blood vessels, which may be a predictor of heart disease/damage.
Professor Jonathon Dodd, a Clinical Full Professor at the UCD School of Medicine as well as a Consultant Radiologist at St Vincent's will be able to use the PET CT to detect vascular and joint imflammation in asymotomatic patients with psoriatic disease as part of his study to help identify psoriatic arthritis earlier.
Another UCD professor who will utilise the new PET CT is Prof Douglas Veale, Adjunct Full Professor at UCD School of Medicine and Consultant Rheumatologist, St. Vincent’s University Hospital.
Prof Veale is investigating the effectiveness of biologic treatment for patients with Achilles Tendon enthesitis and will greatly benefit from the clearer images of tissue and bone that the scanner will produce.