Bombay Hospital in collaboration with the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) scientists has set up two new scanning procedures i.e. DAT scan and HYNIC-TOC Scan using indigeneously produced radiopharmaceuticals for imaging brain diseases and cancer.

With the production of the new radiopharmaceuticals by BARC, these scanning procedures can be carried out everyday with the cheap cost.

DAT scan is a brain scanning technique used for diagnosing Parkinson's disease (PD), in which radiopharmaceutical is injected intravenously and image of brain is obtained after four hours. It helps in detecting the areas of brain which are affected in PD. It also helps in assessing the effect of treatment.

While HYNIC-TOC scan is used for diagnosing neuroendocrine cancers. The existing techniques depend on importing the radiopharmaceuticals and are also very expensive. This new technique is produced by BARC and the product can be formulated every day at the nuclear medicine department and patients need not have to wait for long time. It is also not so expensive. It is very useful in deciding which patient of neuroendocrine cancer will be benefit from isotope therapy.

Dr B A Krishna, head of the department of Nuclear Medicine of Bombay Hospital said that the clinical studies have been set up by the department technical staff in collbaoration with BARC scientists. The technique has been standardised and 9 patients of Parkinson's disease and 8 patients of neuroendocrine cancers have been scanned so far with excellent quality images.

Dr M R A Pillai, head of Radiopharmaceuticals Division of BARC said that he is satisfied that the clinical studies done with the products developed by BARC are giving excellent images. These products have been recently cleared by the Radiopharmaceuticals Committee (RPC) and BARC will start manufacturing the products in larger scale to make it available for all Nuclear Medicine departments in the country.

Dr Krishna informed that the scientists at BARC are working hard to produce other new radiopharmaceuticals which are used in cancer and it is a matter of pride for us and Bombay Hospital will continue to collaborate with BARC scientists in their effort, clinical studies of new products which will help patients across country.