Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Covington Invests in the Most Sensitive Imaging System Available Today for Tackling Cancer Early

New PET/CT technology to launch this summer, enhancing ability to detect cancer and offer more personalized treatment for patients

COVINGTON, La. – Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Covington announces its investment in new technology that can help doctors better understand, track and treat cancer patients. With GE Healthcare’s Discovery™ IQ PET/CT system, the most sensitive cancer imaging system on the market, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Covington clinicians can pinpoint the smallest tumors and lesions due to the high sensitivity of the PET technology.

The aim of this product is to continuously improve diagnostic confidence for referring physicians and patients. The Discovery IQ also allows for fast and efficient scanning, which enables both half the PET dose and half the scan time. Speedy scans are helpful for elderly or sick patients that cannot hold still for a long time.

“Mary Bird Perkins has long prided itself on being on the leading-edge of cancer care, and GE Healthcare’s Discovery IQ PET/CT system will allow for the Cancer Center to continue leading the way with advanced early disease detection capabilities as well as tools to ensure patients’ optimal response to treatments,” Dr. R. Scott Bermudez, radiation oncologist, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Covington, said. “Our investment in this equipment will help us better examine, monitor and provide enhanced care for our patients.”

The Discovery IQ system is primarily used to scan cancer patients and uses intelligent quantitation (IQ) to quantify changes in tumors and diseases. Quantitation can help clinicians detect cancer early and understand whether patients are responding to their current treatments. With those insights, clinicians can optimize treatment paths and tailor the appropriate therapy regimens according to patients’ unique needs.

“When our physicians are able to formulate a diagnosis with the utmost precision, our patients stand to benefit greatly,” Mike Miranda, administrator, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Covington, said. “This latest imaging device will provide another tool for our team members as they work to determine the best course of treatment for each individual patient. And they don’t have to go far to access this technology; it’s right here on the Northshore”

Earlier this year, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Covington received a three-year accreditation from The Commission on Cancer (CoC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons (ACS), a recognition that highlights the exemplary standard of care provided at the Cancer Center.

“Our achievements such as the recent accreditation fuels us to do even more for patients,” Miranda said. “Upgrading to this new technology is the next step in raising the renowned level of care the Cancer Center has become synonymous with.”

GE Healthcare’s mission is to create meaningful technologies for clinicians and their patients and to engineer solutions that combat today and tomorrow’s challenges in cancer care. Discovery IQ does just that by providing doctors with clear imaging and liable metrics, all in one system.

To learn more about Discovery IQ, click here.

 

 

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About Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center
Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center is a regional cancer care organization that has been fighting cancer for more than 50 years. The cancer care organization provides care at eight centers in Baton Rouge, Covington, Hammond, Houma, Gonzales, and Natchez, Mississippi, and its service area encompasses southeast Louisiana and southwest Mississippi regions. Mary Bird Perkins has a strategic partnership with OneOncology and the largest radiation and medical oncology groups from across the area including exclusive partnerships with Southeastern Louisiana Radiation Oncology Group, which provides radiation therapy throughout Mary Bird Perkins’ service areas, Northshore Oncology Associates, serving St. Tammany and Washington Parishes, specifically the communities of Covington and Slidell and Louisiana Hematology Oncology Associates, which services the Greater Baton Rouge area. For more information, please visit www.marybird.org.