PET-CT

As its name suggests, a PET-CT machine integrates PET (positron emission tomography) with CT (computed tomography) technology. We introduced the PET-CT machine in our hospital in December 2004.

A PET mainly creates images based on metabolic function activity information and a CT creates images based on morphological information such as object location, shape and size. The greatest advantage of a PET-CT machine is that it can take superimposed images (fusion images) of a PET image and a CT image at the same time.
The superimposition of two images with the PET-CT machine drastically improves diagnostic precision by permitting the simultaneous visualization of cancerous tumors and metastatic lesions in the same position as the organs. In addition, the physical burden to the patient is reduced as both the PET and CT scans can be conducted concurrently.

In August 2005, we were the first hospital to introduce the TomoTherapy radiotherapy system in Japan, in an effort to further strengthen our diagnostic and treatment capacities.

Together with TomoTherapy, the PET-CT machine, which contributes significantly in the detection and treatment of cancer, is invaluable in determining the direction of future treatment.

Characteristics of a PET Scan

• Can diagnose tumors from around 1 cm in size and lymph node metastasis.
• Can perform an almost whole body cancer screening (from the neck down to the upper part of the thigh). The scan is not performed on an organ-specific basis.
• Helps evaluate whether a tumor is benign or malignant and diagnose the level of malignancy of a tumor.
• Does not cause pain or discomfort. The scan can be performed dressed and in a short period of time.

A 256-slice CT is a state-of-the-art CT machine that can take up to 256 tomographic images at a time at high speed. The CT provides three-dimensional tomographic images with higher precision and is a minimally invasive, patient-friendly diagnostic machine. We introduced the 256-slice CT in our hospital in 2016.

Conventionally, it was considered difficult to generate CT scan images of blood vessels and organs that are in constant motion such as a coronary artery. Therefore, for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease such as angina pectoris and myocardial infarction, we used to perform relatively physically burdensome cardiac catheter tests.

However, the 256-slice CT machine has made it possible to obtain clear images of constantly moving organs such as the heart without being affected by cardiac fluctuations and consequently, patients are now able to receive the test on an outpatient basis without the need for hospitalized.The CT (computed tomography) is a machine which takes cross-sectional tomographic images by horizontally irradiating the patient’s body with x-ray beams from various angles. Depending on the scanning method, the CT machine can take cross-sectional images from different angles.

The 256-slice CT can scan a range of 16 cm per rotation (0.28 seconds). The 256-slice CT not only has the capacity to take conventional images but has also significantly improved the capacity to visualize arteries using contrast material.

A 3-tesla MRI generates a magnetic field intensity that is twice the strength of a 1.5-tesla MRI, enabling the machine to produce higher-quality and more stable images. We were the second hospital in Japan to introduce the machine for clinical purposes.

In principle, signal strength is proportionally higher when the magnetic field of the machine is more intense. A 3-tesla MRI generates a magnetic field intensity that is twice the strength of a 1.5-tesla MRI, with a higher signal detection capacity and ability to produce higher-quality images. Furthermore, a 3-tesla MRI can capture clearly the conditions of a blood vessel 0.1 mm in diameter that a 1.5-tesla MRI cannot.

TomoTherapy is a machine that is attracting worldwide attention as a state-of-the-art radiotherapy system for cancer treatment. We were the first hospital to introduce it in Japan.

TomoTherapy is a radiotherapy system for cancer treatment based on a new concept. Under high precision computerized control, pinpoint radiation is made possible by delivering radiation to the cancerous tissue from multiple directions.
TomoTherapy has a movable radiation hole that rotates a full 360 degrees, focusing the radiation beams on multiple cancer lesions at a time. Because radiation delivery enfolds a cancer lesion, TomoTherapy allows for the treatment of prostate cancer or multiple lung cancer conventionally considered not apt for radiotherapy.

Compared to conventional radiotherapy machines, the radiation dose that TomoTherapy delivers to the areas surrounding a cancer lesion is overwhelmingly smaller and we expect TomoTherapy to minimize adverse effects to patients. TomoTherapy can treat cancer lesions of the whole body such as brain tumors, lung cancer, throat cancer and liver cancer. TomoTherapy can also deliver radiation to the whole bone marrow while avoiding brain and internal organs.

TomoTherapy has significantly expanded the range of radiotherapy, as it can not only deliver pinpoint radiation to small cancer lesions as done with gamma knives and cyber knives but also handle complicated cancer lesions and treat multiple lesions at a time.

PEM

PEMGRAPH: Positron emission tomography exclusively for the breasts (Furukawa Scintitech Corporation)

AG

Artis Q BA Twin: Angiography (Siemens Healthineers)

Mammography

Senographe DS LaVerite: Digital mammography (GE Healthcare)

Next Generation Sequencer

MiSeq: Gene sequencer (Illumina)