St. Anthony is committed to providing as many services as possible right here in our community. With cancer cases rising in Iowa, more patients are coming to our Cancer Center, and the demand for PET/CT scans has grown. Right now, patients often have to go to other hospitals to get timely care. Having our own scanner means faster, more convenient, and local care for our patients when they need it most. Last year, the St. Anthony Cancer Center welcomed 567 new patient referrals, underscoring the growing need for advanced diagnostic tools close to home. Currently, the PET CT Scanner is brought to Carroll once a week by mobile service. If that unit is unavailable for any reason, patients may wait several weeks for their scan—an anxious and uncertain time for anyone facing possible cancer. With your support, we can bring this life-saving technology permanently to St. Anthony, ensuring faster, more reliable care for patients when they need it most.
Together, we can make hope part of the diagnosis.
RECAP: Right now, St. Anthony hospital can only offer PET/CT scans one day a week on a mobile unit, which isn’t enough for all the patients who need this important test. Having our own on-site PET/CT scanner means we can:
- See patients faster and help start treatment sooner
- Offer advanced scans for cancers like prostate cancer
- Provide a backup if our regular CT scanner is in use
In short, this new scanner will give our patients quicker, better, and more reliable care.
We are asking for as much support as possible to help fund this $1.3 million PET/CT scanner. Even if we don’t reach the full amount, the project will move forward because this scanner is too important to our community’s health to wait.
A PET/CT scanner is a special type of imaging machine that helps doctors see inside the body to find cancer and understand how far it has spread. It combines two types of scans:
- PET scan: Shows areas where cells are unusually active, which can indicate cancer.
- CT scan: Shows detailed pictures of organs and tissues so doctors know exactly where the problem is.
Together, the PET/CT scanner gives a clear and accurate picture of cancer, helping doctors diagnose it earlier, plan treatment, and track how well therapy is working.
What a PET scan shows
- How your body is functioning:
- Unlike CT or MRI scans, which show physical structures, a PET scan reveals chemical and metabolic activity.
- Cancer:
- It can help find the location of a primary tumor, determine if cancer has spread, and assess the effectiveness of treatment.
- Heart disease:
- It can show how blood is flowing to the heart muscle, helping to identify heart damage or the potential benefits of procedures like bypass surgery.
- Brain disorders:
- It can be used to evaluate brain function, diagnose conditions like Alzheimer’s or dementia, and find the source of seizures in epilepsy.
Having our own PET/CT scanner means faster access to important cancer scans and better coordination of care for patients. People in our community won’t have to travel elsewhere or wait for limited services—they can get high-quality, timely care right here at St. Anthony.
DONATE NOW: At the St. Anthony Foundation Office or via VENMO @StAnthony-Foundation
