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WHY IS IN OUR DNA.
Imaging plays a pivotal role in the
delivery of Personalized Cancer
Medicine. It is a core component of:
• early cancer detection
• surgical and radiation treatment
planning
• monitoring treatment response
• surveillance of patients
for recurrence
Getting a clear picture
of cancer
S
usan Armitage’s life has certainly
been impacted by cancer, starting
back in 2001 when she lost her
husband Murray to cancer. Then, in 2012,
Susan herself was diagnosed with chronic
lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) which she
continues to be monitored for today.
MRI machines—which provide high
quality medical images—are required to
prepare for and monitor the treatment of
cancer patients. However, they are very
problematic for people with claustrophobia
like Susan. In fact, approximately five
percent of the population experiences
claustrophobia to some degree.
When Susan was contemplating a
donation to Princess Margaret Cancer
Centre, she wanted her donation to help
others affected by claustrophobia, but
she wanted it to have a broader benefit
as well. Almost all cancer patients require
imaging at some point in their diagnosis
or treatment, so she decided to direct her
gift of $1 million towards the purchase of
a very sophisticated MR imaging machine
that features newer short bore (tunnel) and
wide-opening design to make it easier for
patients who are claustrophobic.
I
n addition to overseeing imaging
procedures and the interpretation
of results, the radiologists at
Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
now have access to (and are
developing themselves) cutting
edge technology that enables them
to deliver new treatment protocols
that are life-saving alternatives for
patients who do not qualify for
surgery. Recently, radiofrequency
ablation and thermal ablation
techniques have been used
successfully for several types of
cancer and are being evaluated
through our clinical trials program.