BC Cancer, in partnership with the UBC Faculty of Medicine, has rolled out the most advanced PET/CT scanner in the country – a next generation machine that provides fast imaging and is the first capable of whole body imaging from head to pelvis in a single frame. This will provide patients with improved diagnostics and further the development of novel imaging agents and targeted cancer treatments.
“This new PET/CT scanner will be transformative,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “People with cancer today will benefit from high-quality images and a more accurate diagnosis. In the future, people who receive a cancer diagnosis could have access to innovative, precision treatments developed through research enabled by this technology.”
The new Quadra PET/CT scanner – the first in Canada – began scanning patients in May 2025. Located at BC Cancer – Vancouver, the new scanner offers the largest field of view among any PET/CT scanners in Canada and can scan faster with higher image quality and less radiation exposure than previous scanners.
“As an oncologist, having access to cutting-edge imaging technology provides the detailed and accurate information I need to create efficient and effective treatment plans,” said Dr. Paris-Ann Ingledew, Interim Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice-President, BC Cancer. “For our patients, this means precision care with fewer side effects and the best chance at a long, healthy life beyond cancer.”
In addition to elevating cancer imaging, the new scanner will offer researchers at BC Cancer and UBC critical capabilities for the development of new radiopharmaceutical drugs to treat cancer. A growing area of research and innovation is to use radioisotopes to directly target cancer cells in the body. This is enabling a new generation of diagnostics that can detect cancer earlier with lower radiation, and highly precise radiation treatments that have minimal impact on nearby healthy tissues and potentially fewer side effects for patients.
“This new scanner enables research that was previously impossible,” said Dr. François Bénard, Senior Executive Director, Research, BC Cancer and Associate Dean, Research, BC Cancer Research Institute, UBC Faculty of Medicine. “With this technology we can assess new radiopharmaceuticals at extremely low doses, conduct research on early cancer detection with minimal radiation exposure, and provide critical information to foster and evaluate new treatments.”
The purchase of this scanner was made possible as part of a larger research infrastructure grant from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and the B.C. Knowledge Development Fund (BCKDF) awarded to UBC, with Dr. Bénard and Dr. Arman Rahmim as co-principal investigators. The total funding for this initiative includes $6.2 million from CFI and $6.2 million from BCKDF, with an additional $6.1 million from the BC Cancer Foundation.
“This is a powerful example of what can be achieved through collaboration between leading academic institutions, researchers and clinical partners,” said Dr. Dermot Kelleher, Dean, UBC Faculty of Medicine and Vice-President, Health, UBC. “The research enabled by this next-generation PET/CT scanner will drive future innovations in cancer care that allow us to detect cancer sooner, improve outcomes and enhance quality of life for patients in B.C.”
PET/CT combines positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) scans to evaluate a body’s organs and tissues at a molecular level. PET/CT identifies abnormalities in cells and can show whether a tumour has grown, shrunk or returned. This enables physicians to accurately diagnose and stage cancers, determine appropriate treatment options and measure treatment efficacy.
BC Cancer has the most heavily utilized PET/CT scanners in Canada. This scanner replaces an older unit that has reached the end of its life after 13 years of medical use. Though time is still needed to set up the equipment and comfortably situate the patient, this new technology allows images that previously took up to 30 minutes to be acquired in five minutes or less.
The faster scanning time and high sensitivity of this new PET/CT scanner will enable BC Cancer – Vancouver to expand its research capacity, and eventually increase its scanning capacity. Recruitments are now underway to hire the specialized staff to expand capacity in Vancouver.
The newly-renovated Molecular Imaging and Therapy Department at BC Cancer – Vancouver features a myriad of images of Indigenous art that greet patients as they undergo treatment. Created by Squamish Nation artists Kolten Khasalus Grant and Lyle Williams, the art illustrates the provincial government’s commitment to deliver culturally safe care and, together with a new immersive digital wall serves a therapeutic purpose as it will help to calm patients in a moment of tense anticipation.
A version of this story was originally published on the BC Cancer website.