Guthrie Cortland Medical Center unveils new PET/CT scanner

CORTLAND, N.Y. — Guthrie Cortland Medical Center (GCMC) says it’s now using a new PET/CT scanner, which it says will “enhance the care of patients in Cortland and surrounding communities.”

PET, or positron emission tomography, is a type of nuclear medicine procedure that produces unique images of the body to detect early signs of cancer, heart disease and brain conditions. The test involves injecting a very small dose of a radioactive substance into the blood. This tracer travels through the body and is absorbed by the organs and tissues being studied.

A PET/CT scanner detects and records the energy given off by the injected radioactive substance. It also produces CT images simultaneously. The “unique nature” of the images that come from combining the PET scans with the CT scans allows the radiologist to give providers combined information about the structure and function of a patient’s body.

“It is next level care this community has always deserved,” Jennifer Yartym, SVP, GCMC president, said in a news release. “We’re proud and humbled to be able to deliver cutting edge care that rivals health care institutions throughout the region.”

The PET/CT scanner was made possible by a $1.8 million investment from Guthrie, including $250,000 from Cortland Memorial Foundation, thanks to donations from the community, Guthrie said.