Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu inaugurated a state-of-the-art Nuclear Medicine Block at Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), marking a major milestone in the state’s healthcare sector. With this initiative, Himachal Pradesh has introduced its first-ever Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan facility in the government healthcare system.
The advanced PET scan technology enables early detection of diseases at metabolic and molecular levels, significantly improving diagnosis accuracy. Unlike conventional imaging techniques such as CT scans and MRI, which identify structural changes at later stages, PET scans can detect early biological changes in the body, allowing timely treatment and improved patient outcomes.
The technology will play a crucial role in diagnosing and managing multiple types of cancers, including brain tumors, head and neck cancers, thyroid cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, and urological malignancies. Additionally, PET scans are increasingly used in complex cases related to heart diseases, neurological disorders, infections, and inflammatory conditions, especially when traditional diagnostic methods fail to provide clear results.
The facility will also assist doctors in cancer staging, evaluating treatment effectiveness, detecting disease recurrence, and predicting disease progression, thereby enhancing overall patient care.
During the inauguration, Chief Minister Sukhu announced an allocation of ₹8 crore for installing a SPECT-CT scan machine at IGMC to further strengthen healthcare services. He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to integrating advanced medical technologies and revealed plans to invest over ₹3,000 crore for technological upgrades across medical institutions in Himachal Pradesh.
The recent installation of a 3 Tesla MRI machine at the institute is another significant step toward modernizing healthcare infrastructure. The initiative aims to provide world-class medical services closer to home while ensuring timely and accurate treatment for serious illnesses across the state.
