GE Discovery™ VCT – PET/CT Scanner

The first step in the treatment of any ailment is to successfully diagnose the problem, so that a suitable treatment plan can be developed. That’s made easier by our GE Discovery VCT - PET/CT machine, the most advanced PET/CT scanner available.

The Discovery VCT is a high-speed, high-resolution scanner that, in a single rotation, creates 64 credit card- thin CT images of unsurpassed quality that are combined to form a 3-D view of the patient’s anatomy. The speed of the scanner shortens the length of time patients spend on the table. The PET component of the scanner is able to demonstrate abnormalities, such as infections, inflammatory conditions and many types of cancer that metabolize sugar at a faster rate than normal cells. The PET and CT scans are then fused together to create a single image that produces a comprehensive look at a patient’s anatomy.

The Discovery VCT system is also used for radiation therapy treatment planning. A CT simulation is a scan that is performed with the patient in the treatment position. The radiation oncologist then contours the tumor volume and critical structures onto each slice of the scan and a powerful computer generates a 3-D volume. The radiation oncologist and physics staff then determine the optimal way to treat the tumor. PET images can be fused into the treatment plan if the tumor is difficult to distinguish from the surrounding normal tissue.