A new SPECT camera donated by IAEA has doubled heart scan capacity at a Brazilian hospital, benefiting over two million people. Cardiac disease prevalence underscores the need for specialized tests for early detection. The upgraded technology has allowed for quicker exams, reduced waiting times, and boosted training for medical professionals.
The recent donation of a SPECT camera by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to a hospital in Niteroi, Brazil, has significantly enhanced the facility’s capability to conduct heart scans. This advancement enables the hospital to serve over two million residents, offering crucial health services to underserved populations.
Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading global cause of mortality, with cardiac issues prevalent in Brazil. Preventive measures are essential, but advanced diagnostic tests, especially in nuclear medicine, are vital for early detection of conditions such as heart attacks, crucial for reducing mortality rates associated with heart failure.
SPECT, or single photon emission computed tomography, employs gamma rays to generate 3D images of the body and assess organ function. “In cardiology, SPECT tomography is standard to diagnose coronary artery disease and wall abnormalities,” states Enrique Estrada Lobato from IAEA. It includes myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI), which is a stress test that evaluates blood flow to the heart muscle.
The Hospital Universitário Antônio Pedro (HUAP) is Niteroi’s sole public hospital with a nuclear medicine department. Previously, the hospital’s outdated gamma camera led to prolonged waiting times for patients, creating a demand exceeding the department’s capability. Claudio Tinoco Mesquita, a leading figure in radiology at HUAP, expressed concerns over lengthy waiting lists for exams, exceeding eight months for over six hundred patients.
After IAEA audits in 2013 and 2017, recommendations for upgrades were presented. In 2022, Brazil’s National Nuclear Energy Commission sought the IAEA’s assistance to replace the older equipment, culminating in the installation of a dual-head gamma camera with IQ-SPECT technology in August 2023.
Mesquita remarked, “This donation changed everything. MPI scans that lasted over 20 minutes are now done in 6 to 7 minutes, and our waiting list is significantly shorter.” This new technology has allowed for double the capacity, providing over 1,000 additional patients access to necessary nuclear medicine procedures.
The upgraded equipment also facilitates enhanced training opportunities for professionals in nuclear medicine at HUAP, including the initiation of a residency program for medical physicists essential for conducting these examinations.
Mesquita highlighted the significance of this development, noting, “This is a success story that connects the quest for quality and the fight to improve access to health services for poor people in Brazil.” The IAEA’s support has significantly transformed their operations and positively affected many lives.
Through ongoing technical cooperation, the IAEA aids nations in utilizing nuclear and radiation medicine to effectively address noncommunicable diseases, including cardiovascular conditions, while promoting quality management systems to ensure the safety and efficacy of nuclear medicine services.
In conclusion, the donation of the SPECT camera by the IAEA to HUAP in Niteroi has revolutionized cardiac diagnostics in the region, enabling significantly faster patient processing and reducing the backlog of waiting patients. The impact extends beyond technology upgrades to educational programs for medical professionals, emphasizing the role of international cooperation in enhancing healthcare accessibility particularly in underserved areas in Brazil.
Original Source: www.miragenews.com
