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Nyack, New York, - Positron Emission Tomography (PET) has emerged as an important clinical imaging modality for diagnosing and staging many types of cancer, including breast cancer. Hudson Valley P.E.T. Imaging has been providing PET services on the campus of Nyack Hospital since early 2001. Breast cancer is the most common non-skin malignancy in women in the United States. Studies suggest that a woman in the U.S. has a one in eight chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. While the exact reasons breast cancer develops may remain unknown, by identifying increased glucose metabolism within cancer cells, a PET scan enables patients, with their physicians, to make more informed treatment decisions and may provide more treatment options to women with breast cancer. Studies have shown that PET scans stage breast cancer with a high diagnostic accuracy enabling doctors to improve their ability to effectively treat this disease. On October 1, 2002, Medicare (and most health insurance companies) added coverage for PET scans for patients with breast cancer. This includes staging for both newly diagnosed and previously treated breast cancer. According to Dr. Evan Kaminer, Medical Director at Hudson Valley PET Imaging, "Improved staging allows the treatment team to better assess which therapy is best for each patient and then assess how the patient responds." He further notes, "the medical community has been waiting for several years for Medicare to provide this coverage. PET has proven useful for many types of cancer and can now be used effectively to help patients with breast cancer." Hudson Valley Radiology Associates has been serving the radiology needs of our community for over 40 years, with approximately 21 radiologists providing professional interpretation of diagnostic imaging at two (2) area hospitals, and five (5) imaging centers which are conveniently located throughout the Hudson Valley region. Mid Rockland Imaging in New City, NY is a local provider of diagnostic imaging procedures utilizing technologies such as x-ray, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), mammography, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography (PET), as well as general radiography and fluoroscopy. |
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