By Leigh Farmer

VCU Health is rolling out an innovative solution to common problems across healthcare systems – wait times and access to timely care. This solution just happens to have 18 wheels and state-of-the-art technology.

A new 50-foot trailer will travel between three VCU Health locations to provide rapid scans for patients waiting for cancer screenings in under 17 minutes – about half the time of a traditional scan. By scanning the whole body in 17 minutes or less, the mobile, digital PET/CT scanner makes it easier and quicker for patients to get screened and be put on a treatment plan. 

PET/CT scans are advanced tools used in cancer care to provide an accurate picture of a tumor. Unlike regular scans, PET/CT uses a special tracer to highlight areas of high metabolic activity, helping doctors find and understand tumors better. These exceptionally high-clarity images are often used to determine the best course of treatment for patients.

VCU Health’s new mobile PET/CT scanner provides a whole-body scan in 17 minutes or less, about half of the time of a traditional scan. (VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital)

“We are grateful to VCU Health’s Strategic Initiatives Team,” said Michael Roussos, president of VCU Medical Center. “They have worked hard over the past 18 months to identify areas where we can increase access to care.  VCU is dedicated to bringing the highest quality care to Virginians across the state.”

Beyond a faster, more accurate way to track cancer in a patient, this technology is on wheels.  The trailer travels between VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital and VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital every week.  In the fall, VCU Health’s Stony Point Campus will join the rotation. 

“Immediate access to high-quality care is incredibly important to our patients and our clinical teams,” said Sheldon Barr, president of VCU Health Community Memorial Hospital. “It leads to better health outcomes and provides peace of mind.  We are thrilled to be able to provide this innovative technology to our community.”

Liz Martin, president of VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital, agrees that the entire health system’s ability to collaborate is a win for providers and patients living in rural parts of the commonwealth.

"We can do more working together as a health system to bring new technologies that benefit many of the communities we serve – here in Tappahannock and also in South Boston,” Martin said. “We’re proud to be able to offer this level of service to our community as another example of how we are carrying out our mission to preserve and restore health through innovation."

The traveling PET/CT not only addresses patient wait times, but it will also expand each medical facilities’ capacity to do these advanced scans in the coming months. This innovation aligns with the mission of VCU Health and VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center to reduce health inequities for all patients.

“Innovation doesn't equate to real progress unless it's reaching our communities, and many cancer disparities persist because certain populations lack sufficient access to the health care resources they need," said Robert A. Winn, M.D., director and Lipman Chair in Oncology of VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center. "By bringing cutting-edge technology out of the hospital and into the community, this convenient mobile scanner is another step in the right direction toward equitable cancer care for all Virginians.”

The new trailer began operation in late June.

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