KUCHING: Borneo Medical Centre (BMC) has acquired top of the line Positron Emission Tomography (PET) – Computed Tomography (CT) Scan, Discovery IQ from General Electric (GE).
It has also acquired the BG-75 “Dose on Demand” Biomarker Generator from ABT Molecular Imaging for in-house F-18 FDG production (also known as the mini cyclotron).
This makes the mini cyclotron in BMC to be the first installed on the island of Borneo.
A PET-CT scan creates detailed, computerised pictures of areas inside the body using radiotracer (F-18 FDG). The test merges two imaging technologies, position emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT), into one machine for a single imaging session.
PET-CT scan may detect the early onset of disease before it is evident on other imaging tests and it is particularly useful to evaluate and reveal many conditions such as cancers, heart disease, brain disorders, inflamation and to trace the source of infections.
In lieu of this acquisition, the people in Borneo now do not have to travel abroad to seek for such treatment and thus reducing the financial burden in terms of saving on accommodation and transport, increasing convenience and comfort.
This is especially important as PET-CT scan has given clinicians the ability to detect smaller lesions, to accurately stage cancer and also to determine earlier if the patient is responding to current treatment. Therefore, it has become an integral part for oncology care.
Cancer patients will normally undergo a series of PET-CT follow up scans during their cancer treatment and the availability of PET-CT in Borneo will drastically reduce the amount of travelling time to ensure seamless care.
Speaking during the launching of the PET-CT Scan and Cyclotron at Borneo Medical Centre on Wednesday, Minister of Local Government and Housing Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian congratulated BMC for their courage and vision to make their dreams come true despite all the obstacles and difficulties.
Dr Sim added that with the acquisition of the machines, BMC not only made treatment available but also affordable to locals.
“I am so proud of BMC for making it available to locals so that they don’t have to travel far away,” he said.
He hoped that BMC Group would push beyond Sarawak.
Dr Sim also said that the State Government is serious about improving the medical services in Sarawak.
Managing Director of BMC, Dr Peter Tang said that the first commercial PET-CT system entered the market in 2001 and since then all major hospitals in the world has installed this machine to improve the medical diagnosis and treatment especially in Oncology.
He added that while major hospitals in Singapore and West Malaysia were quick to acquire the machine, the service was not available in the whole of East Malaysia or the Borneo Island. Sarawakian patients have to fly elsewhere to get PET-CT Scan done.
Dr Peter said that BMC dreamt about the PET-CT service before it started in 2013, and actually prepared a PET-CT Room and was ready to push on. But was caught by the lack of its own isotopes producing Cyclotron.
In order to bring in PET-CT and Cyclotron, he said BMC embarked on its biggest renovation ever for almost 2 years and it costs RM13 million to bring in both the PET-CT Scan machine and the Cyclotron machine at one go.
Medical Director of BMC, Dr John Chew said that PET-CT Scanner is a new health technology, the utility of which is never doubted.
“It certainly makes a big difference to the decision making in the treatment of cancer. It will guide precise treatment decisions, enhance the quality of cancer care by early detection leading to better prognosis.
“It will help to select the right drugs. The key words: earlier diagnosis, precision, better prognosis for suffering patients,” he said.
He added that there were now 21 PET-CT Scan machines in Malaysia and BMC is the 18th.
As the first in Borneo Island to acquire the PET-CT scanner, it would now open doors for medical tourism in neighbouring countries such as West Kalimantan, Brunei and Sabah.
Although it has only started to be operational for about a month, it has successfully done close to 80 scans and has received an influx of enquiries from medical centres of neigbouring countries which has surpassed the hospital’s expectations.
On the number of healthcare centres in the State, Dr Sim revealed that 45% of the rural hospitals and clinics have no doctors.
He added that he had discussed the problem with Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi (Dr) Abang Johari Tun Openg and the latter had approved immediately so that 100% of rural clinics in Sarawak would have doctors visiting within the next three to six months.
