Speaker
Description
The PET-CT technology and its continuous developments are widely spread all over the world, however the distribution of the cyclotrons and the availability and affordability of its tracers is not well organized among the developing countries and varies greatly from country to another and consequently will affect the number of installed PET-CT scanners. According to the IAEA database the number of PET-CT in the middle east region is one scanner per 2.04 million people. Recommendations provided in literature suggests that the number of PET-CT scanners should be 1.0-1.5 per million inhabitants. In the African continent there is a great heterogeneity related with nuclear medicine and PET-CT equipment available, with some countries having the highest technology including cyclotrons and (PET/CT), and other with no nuclear medicine units. Seventeen cyclotrons supply 63 PET/CT scanners within this` continent. Six countries only out of 52 concentrate all cyclotrons facilities, most of them are managed by private companies. Several challenges and obstacles are facing the proper availability of such technology among developing countries and in consequence the proper healthcare delivery for patients. Those obstacles include political, regulatory, economical, infrastructure, marketing and manpower problems. On the other hand, finding solutions for those obstacles is applicable as there are several alternatives and methodologies has been applied to overcome those obstacles in the developing countries.
