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Nuclear Medicine Services ready to take off
The range of specialized clinical services at AKUH continues to expand,
the latest addition being the Nuclear Medicine programme,
which will commence in mid 2001. The field of nuclear medicine
uses radioactive chemicals for medical purposes, for example
in diagnosing decreased blood flow to the heart (myocardial
perfusion scanning), detecting cancer deposits in the body
(technetium bone scanning), or curing certain disorders of
the thyroid gland (radio-iodine treatment).
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| Nuclear Medicine provides
a range of diagnostic services. Dr. Rashid Hashmi (right),
Assistant Professor of Radiology, discussing a patient's
diagnositic assessment with Dr. M. Younus Sheikh, Chair
of the Department. |
Nuclear medicine services are currently available at only a few other
locations in Karachi, all of which experience heavy patient
traffic. "There is considerable local demand for nuclear
medicine services," says Dr. Rashid Hashmi, Assistant
Professor of Radiology, who was specially recruited for developing
the Nuclear Medicine services at AKUH. Dr. Hashmi graduated
from Dow Medical College in 1987 and, in addition to specializing
in Nuclear Medicine, has earned a doctorate from Nagasaki
University, Japan, in Radiology.
He has also served as a consultant to the Pakistan
Atomic Energy Commission.
Radiology Department Chairman, Dr. M. Younus Sheikh notes that with the
start of Nuclear Medicine services, all imaging modalities
will be available under one roof at this academic centre.
The Nuclear Medicine section will be housed in the Radiology
Department, off the long corridor that extends from the department’s
courtyard entrance towards the MRI suite. The physical infrastructure
is compact and accessible, and has been equipped with cutting-edge
technology, including a dual-head, variable angle gamma camera
that is the first of its kind in Pakistan.
When fully operational, the Nuclear Medicine programme will provide a
range of diagnostic services in cardiology, nephrology, pulmonary
and cancer medicine, as well as therapeutic services for thyroid
disease and certain kinds of blood disorders. Other investigations,
such as gallium and white blood cell scanning for detecting
hidden areas of inflammation are to be added in the near future.
The clinical programmes are eager to start utilizing the new Nuclear Medicine
services. "Nuclear Medicine techniques are a very welcome
addition to AKUH, allowing objective diagnostic assessment
for many of our patients," said Assistant Professor,
Dr. Syed M. Jilani, a cancer specialist. In addition to meeting
clinical needs, the section will undertake research work in
the area of tumour imaging, particularly in differentiating
abnormal growths in the body as benign or malignant.
The total cost of the Nuclear Medicine facility, including equipment and
renovations, was Rs.36 million (US$ 600,000). This facility
was fully funded by donations, primarily from the corporate
sector, solicited by the AKU Resource Development Committee.
The Committee has already received a pledge of Rs.50 million
(US$ 833,334), which includes Nuclear Medicine. In addition,
it would complement the Patient Welfare programme for the
treatment of indigent patients, as well as provide scholarships,
which ensure that no Pakistani citizen or resident who is
otherwise qualified for admission is excluded solely due to
his or her inability to bear educational costs.
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