After a month-long hiatus, the cutting-edge PET-CT scan machine at AIIMS Nagpur has resumed operations following the recruitment of a new medical physicist in the nuclear medicine department. Previously, the facility was rendered inactive when the lone physicist resigned, and recruitment efforts stalled. Despite adequate faculty and support staff, the department remained idle during this period.
Dr. Prashant Joshi, AIIMS-Nagpur’s executive director, disclosed that four PET-CT scans were conducted on Monday, with eight scheduled for the next day. He assured that the backlog of 125 patients would be addressed within two to three weeks. Typically, about 10 patients, primarily cancer patients, undergo investigation for malignancy spread through the PET-CT scanner daily, making it the sole government hospital in Maharashtra equipped with such technology.
Before the hiatus, the department operated with a seven-day waitlist for patients. However, with the recent delays, the waitlist has extended beyond a week, potentially lengthening patients’ wait times further. PET-CT scans, which provide precise 3D imaging for diagnosis, are free for economically disadvantaged patients, while others incur a cost of approximately 7,000 rupees, escalating to 25,000 rupees in private institutions.