Thompson Cancer Center opens PET Imaging Center
From Staff ReportsOriginally published: June 22. 2009 3:01AM
Last modified: June 21. 2009 10:21PM
Thompson Cancer Survival Center has opened another PET Imaging Center at its downtown facility at 1915 White Ave. in Knoxville.
Thompson Cancer Survival Center West AT 9711 Sherrill Blvd. was the first facility in the area -- and second in the entire world -- with a high-speed LSO PET scanner. Now Thompson West and Downtown PET Imaging Center have the area's first high-definition PET-CT scanners. This new technology is so precise it can improve cancer detection rates by up to 78 percent and pinpoints tumors precisely with a 40-slice CT scanner.
Positron Emission Tomography -- or PET -- scans detect what's happening inside cells, including the increased metabolism that's characteristic of cancer cells. So PET can find cancer long before it would be visible with X-rays or other scans.
High-Definition PET-CT technology is just one of many ways Thompson is advancing cancer care. Thompson is at the forefront of leading-edge treatments, new medicines and breakthrough technologies to treat -- and beat -- the disease.
Patient referrals for both locations can be made by calling 373-5070.
This story was edited for presentation on the Web. Additional information and details are available for subscribers only. If you want every word of Blount County's best news and information source you can get home delivery and e-edition subscriptions here. Nobody knows Blount better than The Daily Times, your hometown newspaper for 125 years and counting.