Currently, Ho Chi Minh City only has one cyclotron producing radioactive drug F-18 FDG (used in PET-CT scans) at Cho Ray Hospital, but the quantity is limited. Meanwhile, Rang Dong Medical Joint Stock Company - the unit producing and supplying radioactive drug 18F-FDG - has stopped production due to problems with procedures for using public assets.
Meanwhile, the demand for PET/CT scans for cancer diagnosis and treatment monitoring is huge, but the supply of radioactive drug F-18 FDG is not enough to meet this demand. Many patients have to wait for many days or go to facilities in Hanoi or other provinces and cities, or even go abroad to have it done.
Speaking with Lao Dong Newspaper, Dr. Nguyen Xuan Canh - Head of the Department of Nuclear Medicine at Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City - said that the hospital's cyclotron has been operating for more than 15 years and its productivity has decreased.
On average, the reactor produces 25-30 doses of F-18 FDG radiation per day. Of these, about 15 doses are shared with the Oncology Hospital and Military Hospital 175 for PET/CT scans. At Cho Ray Hospital, patients have to wait 2-3 weeks for PET/CT scans.
Dr. Diep Bao Tuan - Deputy Executive Director of Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital - said that currently, the unit has been transferred F-18 FDG from Cho Ray Hospital with a quantity of about 9 cases/day (meeting only 1/3 of the demand). Meanwhile, with 2 PET/CT machines located at 2 facilities of the hospital, the maximum capacity can be increased to 50-60 cases/day if provided with enough F-18 FDG.
"Therefore, patients have to wait many days to get a PET/CT scan. Currently, the average waiting time for a PET/CT scan is about 10 days" - Deputy Executive Director of the Oncology Hospital told Lao Dong Newspaper.
When this system malfunctions, doctors are forced to prescribe other alternative clinical tests such as CT scan, MRI... However, with the above alternative methods, in many cases it is not possible to comprehensively and fully assess early changes after treatment, residual or recurrent disease, in order to develop an appropriate treatment regimen.
Dr. Diep Bao Tuan said that the demand for using PET/CT in diagnosing and monitoring the treatment results of cancer patients at hospitals is very high. Therefore, the support and direction of the health sector is needed so that Ho Chi Minh City can have more cyclotrons to better serve patients.
According to Mr. Nguyen Hai Nam - Deputy Chief of Office of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, the radioactive drug 18F-FDG is used for PET/CT scans to diagnose and monitor cancer treatment, detect residual or recurrent disease, and provide timely treatment regimens for patients.
This is a drug with a short half-life, so it must be used immediately after production. Transporting the drug from other localities to Ho Chi Minh City is not feasible. Therefore, to meet the needs of patients, it is only possible to produce it in the city in time.
Previously, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health had proposed the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Center for Research and Development of Radiation Technology under the Vietnam Atomic Energy Institute (Ministry of Science and Technology) to support and coordinate the implementation of legal procedures to put the factory of the branch of Rang Dong Medical Joint Stock Company in Thu Duc City into operation.
