Nizhny Novgorod region has purchased PET/CT and SPECT/CT.

      Nizhny Novgorod Region has signed contracts for the supply of three units of so-called "heavy" equipment for the creation of a regional Nuclear Medicine Center. This includes two PET/CT systems (positron emission tomography combined with X-ray computed tomography) and an SPECT/CT system (single-photon emission computed tomography combined with X-ray computed tomography). As previously reported by the Governor of Nizhny Novgorod Region Gleb Nikitin, the Nuclear Medicine Center is a key, but not the only component of the flagship project "City of Health." As part of the comprehensive development of the N. A. Semashko Nizhny Novgorod Regional Clinical Hospital and the Scientific Research Institute of Clinical Oncology "Nizhny Novgorod Regional Clinical Oncology Dispensary," the construction of a new surgical building is also planned. In addition, the development of the "City of Health" includes a comprehensive major renovation of the N. A. Semashko Regional Clinical Hospital and the construction of boarding houses where patients requiring long-term diagnostics without hospitalization and their relatives can stay. "A dedicated Nuclear Medicine Center is vital for a city with a population of over a million and for our entire region. The government and the Ministry of Health of Russia not only supported us by including funding for the initiative in the national project 'Long and Active Life,' but also approved the acquisition of two PET/CT systems, each of which will allow up to six thousand studies per year. With these capabilities, queues for examinations will be eliminated for Nizhny Novgorod residents in need of specialized diagnostics. Moreover, according to estimates from the federal Ministry of Health, Nizhny Novgorod will be able to accept several thousand such patients annually from several other regions of the Volga Federal District," said Gleb Nikitin. Acting Director of the N. A. Semashko Nizhny Novgorod Regional Clinical Hospital and Director of the NIIKO "NOKOD" Sergey Gamayunov explained the difference between the two most modern types of diagnostics that will be available in the "City of Health." "PET/CT and SPECT/CT are types of studies that are much more informative than conventional CT or MRI. In both cases, safe radiopharmaceuticals are administered to the patient: this allows for the assessment not only of the structure of each organ and tissue but also of their metabolic activity, that is, how they function. PET/CT is the 'gold standard' in oncology. The study allows for the most accurate identification of both primary tumors and metastases, as well as the assessment of the effectiveness and dynamics of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The PET/CT study is particularly effective in cases where a person has soft tissue tumors, neurological profile pathologies, or consequences of damage to the heart muscle. The SPECT/CT system has advantages in a number of other cases, for example, when it is necessary to assess blood flow, the functional state of bones, the scale of damage to the thyroid gland, brain, and other organs," explained Sergey Gamayunov. Deputy Governor of Nizhny Novgorod Region Andrey Checherin noted that the NIIKO - NOKOD already has one SPECT/CT system. The second system being purchased by the region will allow for SPECT/CT studies to be performed for a much broader range of patients. This is very important for the development of the "City of Health" as a territory that addresses pathologies of various profiles. In total, over 14,000 SPECT/CT studies can be performed annually in Nizhny Novgorod Region. "We strive for the 'City of Health' to provide the most comprehensive assistance. If a person has surgery planned for, say, stomach cancer, but during hospitalization or the procedure, doctors discover additional problems or newly identified pathologies, they will not go unnoticed, and additional assistance will not be postponed indefinitely. This is precisely why we need a new surgical building with a multidisciplinary hospital," said Deputy Head of the Region Andrey Checherin. According to the signed contracts, the new SPECT/CT system will be delivered and put into operation by the end of this year. A specialized room for this equipment is being prepared. The delivery and commissioning of two PET/CT systems are scheduled for 2028. This is due to the fact that a specialized protected "bunker" must be built in advance for the installation of this type of equipment. Moreover, to independently produce radiopharmaceuticals, the region will need to install a cyclotron. For this, it is also necessary to prepare a specialized room and comply with numerous other norms and requirements. "The signing of the contract for the purchase of PET/CT for the 'City of Health' project is a long-awaited event. Yes, the equipment is high-tech and complex to install, so it will physically start operating only in 2028. But the region is already doing the necessary work, and that is the main thing. It is fundamentally important for us that Nizhny Novgorod residents will no longer have to spend time and effort traveling to undergo one of the key examinations. The emergence of PET/CT machines in Nizhny Novgorod means accessibility, speed, and quality of care, which we are striving for together with the head of the region Gleb Nikitin as part of the People's Program of 'United Russia,'" summarized Natalia Smotrakova, Chair of the Committee of the Legislative Assembly of Nizhny Novgorod Region on Social Issues.

      Let us remind you that the national project "Long and Active Life" aims at the expected increase in life expectancy by 2030 and involves the renovation of clinics, outpatient clinics, feldsher-midwife stations, attracting qualified medical personnel to medical institutions, applying new approaches in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic diseases, improving emergency medical assistance and rehabilitation systems, developing a network of national research centers, and digitizing the industry.