October 23, 2015
EDMONTON – In followup to the Oct. 21 announcement regarding the temporary shutdown of the AHS cyclotron, Alberta Health Services (AHS) received confirmation this afternoon that the cyclotron will be down all of next week.
AHS is taking every possible step to fix the cyclotron and have it up and running as soon as possible. In the meantime, material is being sourced from other provinces in order to provide urgent PET/CT scans.
All PET/CT scans will be rebooked as soon as possible and are scheduled according to urgency as determined by AHS radiologists.
The continued mechanical issue with the cyclotron still only affects PET/CT imaging, which is one specialized test. All other scans, including regular CT scans, are not affected and appointments will be held as scheduled. AHS will contact patients prior to any postponement of a PET/CT scan.
The cyclotron in Edmonton produces a material called fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), which is required for PET/CT imaging.
Information about the issue has been added to the Beyond the Headlines section of AHS website: http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/blogs/bth/.
Alberta Health Services is the provincial health authority responsible for planning and delivering health supports and services for more than four million adults and children living in Alberta. Its mission is to provide a patient-focused, quality health system that is accessible and sustainable for all Albertans.
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