The PET Scan examinations of Apeksha Hospital has come to a halt due to the shortage of specific needle used in the treatment procedure hospital sources said.
Chemotherapy is given to almost 50 percent of cancer patients and the extent of success of the treatment is confirmed by a pet scan examination. However at this time the examination has stopped due to the inability to operate the pet
scan machine at the hospital, a hospital spokesman said.
The spokesman further revealed that when a patient is admitted to the machine for scanning, the patient is given a medicine with the help of an injection needle. Due to the absence of the needle, pet scan examinations have been stopped for more than 4 months.
The spokesman said that the injection needle had been ordered from a certain company but could not be delivered due to the current dollar issue.
Thus, he said that urgent and essential PET scan tests will be carried out at the Colombo National Hospital .
He also pointed out that the Pet scan machines are currently only in the Colombo National Hospital and one private hospital.
