Molecular Imaging Centre opens in India

Nueclear Healthcare Ltd (NHL) and GE Healthcare have opened their first molecular imaging centre in Navi Mumbai. 

The partnership is the result of a growing need for more affordable access to advanced molecular imaging technologies such as PET/CT. Cancer rates have become one of the leading causes of death in India, with about 2.5 million cancer patients.

GE Healthcare and NHL aim to establish 120 molecular imaging centres around the country to provide more affordable access to PET/CT imaging. 

“India has cancer rates that are comparable to the majority of developing countries,” said Dr A Velumani, Founder & Managing Director of Nueclear Healthcare Ltd (NHL) Mumbai.

“Cost has been one of the biggest barriers in advancing early cancer detection. Our goal is to remove the barrier of cost by reducing the cost to patients by half. If we make detection and treatment affordable, more people will come forward and the sheer volume will take care of our capital investments,” he added.

Cancer can be treated and controlled if detected early – in Stage I or Stage II. However, over 70% of cancers are detected at a later stage in India, when treatment is less effective and more costly. While low awareness is one significant reason, the lack of resources for early cancer detection and availability of cancer experts is the other.  

“At GE, we envision a day when cancer is no longer a deadly disease. The opening of this centre reinforces our commitment to cancer and reflects our current integrated portfolio and GE Healthcare’s $1B R&D investment to advance oncology solutions by 2016,” said John Dineen, President & CEO, GE Healthcare. 

“Scaling up of cancer diagnosis and treatment requires disruptive innovations and willing partners. Together with Nueclear Healthcare Ltd (NHL), we are at work for a healthier India with the goal to bring earlier access to advanced affordable cancer detection technologies to more people of India.”