White Plains Hospital has recently acquired groundbreaking radiology technology – a PET/MRI scanner – that provides the most comprehensive look at the human body and offers unparalleled imaging capabilities for cancer detection and assessment of neurological conditions. White Plains Hospital is the first and only health care facility in the Hudson Valley and Fairfield County to have this new technology. PET/MRI scans combine the anatomical accuracy of MRI with the metabolic information of positron emission tomography (PET) to provide exceptional image quality, shorter test times and lower radiation exposure for patients.
According to Dr. Andre Khoury, co-director of radiology at White Plains Hospital, the new PET/MRI scan is the latest state-of-the-art tool to improve the health of the community.
“PET/MRI screening is on its way of becoming the gold standard for detecting a range of diseases in their earliest stages. It’s rare to see this level of technology at a community hospital, but it’s indicative of our commitment to expand access to advanced care, close to home. Since acquiring this scanner, we have had requests from physicians throughout the region who understand the amazing capabilities of PET/MRI and want their patients to come in to be evaluated,” Khoury said.
PET/MRI technology is used in pediatric oncology and for the detection of many adult cancers, including: prostate cancer, neuroendocrine pancreatic tumors, brain, breast and head and neck cancers. PET/MRI scans are also ideal for evaluating neurological disorders, such as: dementia, epilepsy, with ongoing research in stroke, traumatic brain injury, and movement disorders. A recent study in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine found that the PET/MRI improved lesion detection in selected cancers by more than 15% and reduced ionizing radiation by nearly 80% when compared with PET/CT.
The PET/MRI scanner is one of many advanced health care services offered at White Plains Hospital’s new Center for Advanced Medicine & Surgery (CAMS). CAMS opened in early June 2021 and is a 252,000-square-foot, nine-story outpatient center that features state-of-the-art operating rooms, endoscopy, ambulatory and procedure suites, wound care delivered through hyperbaric chambers, advanced imaging, non-invasive diagnostic testing and specialty physician offices. The facility also features expert physicians in specialties including: orthopedics & spine; urology; pain management; ear, nose and throat; thyroid; colorectal; vascular; plastic; and bariatric care; as well as electrophysiology.
To find out more about PET/MRI and the advanced imaging capabilities at White Plains Hospital, visit wphospital.org/diagnosticimaging.
