- Queensland paediatric patients have benefited from 500 digital PET-CT patient scan
- The $5M digital positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) service ensures better, faster and more accessible specialist care for children.
- The Queensland Children’s Hospital was the first paediatric hospital in Australia to offer this service.
Acting Premier Steven Miles and Minister for Health Shannon Fentiman have visited the Queensland Children’s Hospital to celebrate the 500th patient scan using its Australian-first digital PET-CT service.
The state-of-the-art equipment was made possible by a joint $5 million investment by the Palaszczuk Government and the Children’s Hospital Foundation.
The Queensland Children’s Hospital is the only paediatric hospital in Australia to offer the digital PET-CT technology, which commenced operations in November 2021.
It is commonly used for diagnosing and treating kids with cancers, epilepsy, and some inflammatory and infectious diseases.
About 25 patients a month use the service, which delivers higher quality, more accurate imaging, with faster scan times and less exposure to radiation as part of their diagnosis and treatment.
Faster scan times also means a shorter procedure, reducing the need for anaesthetic.
Delivering this service on site at the Queensland Children’s Hospital has reduced the total procedure time from around 10 hours to just 3.5. hours for some patients.
Investing in this specialist paediatric service has also freed up clinicians and ambulance drivers to deliver crucial health services to more Queenslanders who need them.
Quotes attributable Acting Premier Steven Miles:
“When I was Health Minister in October 2020, I announced the Palaszczuk Government would partner with the Children’s Hospital Foundation to each invest $2.5 million to deliver a state-of-the-art digital PET-CT service at the Queensland Children’s Hospital.
“It’s great to be here today to see how that investment has already benefited hundreds of patients and their families, in what is a first for Australia.
“This has improved the experience for patients and their families, the dedicated clinicians who care for them, and put ambulances back on the road to save lives.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health, Mental Health and Ambulance Services and Women, Shannon Fentiman:
“It can be incredibly stressful waiting for results when your child is sick, and this service provides faster scan times and shorter procedures so families spend less time waiting and can quickly access the treatment their child needs.
“As the only Australian paediatric hospital with this amazing technology, children and young people across Queensland are benefiting from the best quality of care.
“Queensland kids deserve the very best healthcare, and the Palaszczuk Government is ensuring they have access to the best technology to get a diagnosis and start treatment sooner.”
Quotes attributable to Queensland Chief Operating Officer, Dominic Tait:
“This specialist paediatric service has ensured that Queensland’s sickest children have a PET-CT scan as soon as possible without having to leave the safety of the Queensland Children’s Hospital.
“The reduction in overall procedure time by up to 6.5 hours for some patients delivers a better and safer experience for patients, their families and the clinicians caring for them.”
Quotes attributable to Children’s Hospital Foundation Chief Executive Officer Lyndsey Rice:
“We are thrilled the digital PET-CT scanner is having a demonstrable impact on Queensland children through the ability to achieve earlier diagnoses.
“The Children’s Hospital Foundation invested $2.5 million into this equipment thanks to an incredible gift left by Geoffrey Carrick in his Will.”
