With PET becoming more widely used, there is an increase in the number of imaging centers being forced to rely on distant suppliers of (18)F-FDG. Because of the large distances between major urban centers, this is particularly true for PET centers in Canada.
METHODS:
Our PET center, located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, currently purchases (18)F-FDG from a commercial vendor located more than 1,000 km from Winnipeg, necessitating transport by commercial airline cargo.
This dependence on air transport and a distant supplier creates a situation in which our (18)F-FDG supply is less reliable than it would be with onsite production.
In this article, we offer insight into the obstacles we have encountered in imaging with a distant supplier of (18)F-FDG and the solutions we have implemented to minimize the disruption to our patients and maximize the number of scans performed each year.
RESULTS:
The development of contingency plans and protocols designed to suit our operating environment has allowed us to increase the number of patient scans obtained from 659 in year 1 to 993 in year 3, an increase of 51%, despite an increase in our actual number of scan days of only 24%. (18)F-FDG injection timetables are presented for a variety of scenarios including normal delivery, low shipped activity, and delayed delivery.
CONCLUSION:
Through the careful establishment of contingency protocols and management of (18)F-FDG shipments, patient throughput can be increased and disruptions minimized.
2009-09-03
Eng.
Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
The Great-West Life PET/CT Imaging Centre, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
J Nucl Med Technol. 2009 Sep;37(3):164-9
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