During the three months since the launch of the Centre for Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine at the Da Nang General Hospital, 185 people have been scanned with the positron emission tomography-computed tomography (better known as PET-CT or PET/CT) imaging system for early cancer detection.  This is an advanced medical technique used in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. 

Each PET/CT scan costs 16 million VND, which is half the price charged at the large hospitals in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City, and patients with health insurance cards only have to pay between 5% and 20% of that price.  Thanks to this, poor patients have the chance to access this useful screening service which aims to detect cancer at an early stage.

The PET/CT imaging system

The centre is the only medical establishment in the central region to offer cyclotron-produced radioisotopes, as well as to manufacture and distribute radioactive drugs.

The centre’s medical equipment cost 12 million USD in total.  Of this, 10 million USD came from South Korea’s ODA, and the remainder was from the State budget.  In addition, the East Meets West Foundation donated about 4 million USD to build the centre’s infrastructure.