HIGHLIGHTS – REPORT CARD 2006 

PET Scanning in Canada 

Access to PET scans is documented in a province-by-province review of publicly funded PET scans across Canada – where they are, and how they are used.  

Findings

• Cancer patients' access to PET scanning varies greatly across Canada
• Residents of Quebec and Alberta have the best access, setting a standard for the rest of the country.
• For every 30 cancer patients investigated with a PET scan in Quebec, only one is scanned in Ontario
• Access to publicly funded PET scanning for cancer patients in Ontario is limited to patients who are candidates for five clinical trials run through the Ontario Clinical Oncology Group (OCOG), or is restricted to individually approved access through the Ontario PET Registry Program (OPRT)
• Saskatchewan, PEI and Newfoundland have no facilities at present, and their residents must travel out of province to obtain a scan
• Although PET scanning is currently not available in the province, Nova Scotia is building a facility that should be complete by Q4 2007
• There are four private PET scanning facilities in Canada; price per scan ranges from $2,100 to $2,850

Conclusions and Recommendations

• Ontario has a philosophy that effectively results in rationing of PET scans for cancer patients.
• Not only are current patients disadvantaged through lack of access to standard PET imaging, but future cancer patients in Ontario will likely miss the opportunity to benefit from the next phase of PET development and research.
• The training of medical specialists in Ontario is being compromised; in particular residents in Nuclear Medicine must travel out of province to gain the necessary experience for their training.
• Access should be equitable, regardless of where one lives. The level of access in Quebec and Alberta should be achieved elsewhere in Canada within the next five years