Guntur GGH PET Scan Facility has been launched at the NATCO Cancer Centre, marking a major step in strengthening advanced cancer care services in Andhra Pradesh.
The Andhra Pradesh government introduced the state-of-the-art PET Scan system at Guntur Government General Hospital with an investment of Rs.18 crore. Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav and Union Minister Pemmasani Chandrasekhar are set to inaugurate the facility.
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Until now, PET Scan services were largely limited to private corporate hospitals in cities like Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Tirupati, and Kurnool, where each scan costs around Rs.20,000. With the launch of the Guntur GGH PET Scan Facility, poor and middle-class patients can now access advanced cancer diagnosis free of cost at the NATCO Cancer Centre.
The government is also implementing a Rs.41 crore expansion programme to upgrade the NATCO Cancer Centre into a Level-1 cancer treatment facility. Advanced medical systems including LINAC, HDR Brachytherapy, CT Simulator, and Nuclear Medicine services have already been introduced.
Officials said the PET Scan machine imported from the United States has successfully completed trial operations, with nearly 50 patients already undergoing scans.
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The centre now offers comprehensive oncology services, including Radiation Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Medical Oncology, Preventive Oncology, and Pain & Palliative Care.
Doctors explained that Guntur GGH PET Scan Facility technology helps precisely identify cancer cells, determine the stage of cancer, and assess whether the disease has spread to other organs. The advanced imaging system also supports accurate radiation planning while protecting nearby healthy tissues.
Apart from cancer treatment, PET Scan technology is also useful in cardiology, neurology, pulmonology, and endocrinology departments.
According to officials, the NATCO Cancer Centre treated 19,598 outpatients and 6,942 inpatients in the past year. The hospital also conducted 3,363 chemotherapy sessions, 965 radiation therapy procedures, and 1,131 cancer surgeries.
