Malaga is set to become the first city in Andalucia to install one of the world’s most advanced cancer detection machines.
The city will receive a cutting-edge PET/MRI scanner, with only four such machines currently operating across the whole of Spain.
The fifth unit will be installed at the University of Malaga’s Centre for Medical and Health Research (CIMES), following the signing of a new agreement between Andalucia’s departments of Economy, Universities and Health alongside the UMA.
Acting Economy Minister Carolina España described the technology as ‘one of the most advanced and promising tools’ available for the early diagnosis of cancer.
She explained that the machine combines the metabolic imaging capabilities of PET scans with the highly detailed anatomical imaging of MRI technology.
‘This will allow tumours to be detected at extremely early stages, even before they could be identified through other methods,’ España said.
At present, the technology only exists in Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia, with Barcelona currently home to two machines.
According to officials, the PET/MRI scanner offers major advantages over traditional diagnostic systems.
It can distinguish between malignant and benign tissue with greater accuracy, helping to avoid unnecessary medical procedures.
It also reduces both scanning times and patient exposure to radiation.
España hailed the project as another major investment in healthcare under the regional government of Juanma Moreno, saying: ‘Juanma delivers and invests in healthcare.’
Leading oncologist Emilio Alba also praised the technology’s potential, describing it as the most sensitive diagnostic tool currently available in oncology.
‘It has a resolution level of almost 0.5 centimetres, the highest resolution there is,’ Alba told local media.
He added that the machine can perform a full-body scan in just 20 minutes while exposing patients to relatively low levels of radiation, an especially important factor for children or patients requiring repeated testing.
‘Right now, as a diagnostic method, it is the best in terms of sensitivity of all known techniques,’ Alba said.
The specialist added that combining the technology with emerging methods such as liquid biopsy testing could represent ‘a spectacular leap forward’ in ultra-early cancer diagnosis.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
