The First Lviv Territorial Medical Union is the largest medical system in Western Ukraine, specializing in emergency and intensive care, as well as providing comprehensive, specialized medical services to both adults and children. The union encompasses four

hospitals, including a children’s hospital, a maternity hospital, and a rehabilitation centre. Amid the ongoing war, the hospitals operate round-the-clock, providing essential medical assistance to those injured because of the Russian aggression and other patients in critical need. Since the onset of the full-scale invasion, the hospital has become a primary facility for the treatment of wounded individuals evacuated from active war zones.

The war has significantly limited access to vital cancer care for Ukrainians, particularly displaced individuals and children who require specialized medical attention. Comprehensive diagnostic and treatment capabilities through advanced imaging such as PET/CT scanning are essential to address the growing healthcare demands.

The way to deliver a PET/CT scanner to this hospital is to construct a module in collaboration with Siemens. The unit is designed specifically for Siemens’ new scanner, which can scan more patients per unit of time than its competitors. Therefore, we also need to create additional space for patients during the FDG uptake period. Staff and physicians will be trained and familiarized with the new equipment in the Netherlands, and our clinical physicist will assist in the development of protocols and procedures.

We have designed a unique unit that allows for the seamless integration of the new PET/CT scanner while ensuring safety for both patients and healthcare workers. The unit features additional lead lining in the walls to accommodate higher patient throughput, and we have constructed an additional unit connected to the PET/CT scanner, which houses patient suites. On-site, a seamless connection will be established with the hospital.

Currently the FDG is supplied from Poland, as there are only a few cyclotrons located in Ukraine, in Kyiv, which is too far away. The PET/CT scanner for the First Lviv Territorial Medical Union will significantly enhance cancer diagnostics and treatment in Ukraine, where there are currently only two of these scanners in the country (in Kyiv). We aim to deliver more units of this type in Ukraine, in order to elevate cancer care in the country.