Arrangements for requesting PET/CT scans in North Wales
Referrals are to be sent to Damian Heron, Director, North Wales Cancer Network , Ty Livingstone,
HM Stanley, St Asaph, Denbighshire LL17 0RS. Email address: Damian.Heron@bsc.wales.uk. Fax
number 01745 589917.
Damian Heron acts as HCW’s gatekeeper for PET scans in North Wales and will ensure that referrals
for PET scans within the indications detailed below are undertaken. Requests for PET scans outside
the indications listed below will be considered on an individual case basis.
Pet scans for the North Wales population will be undertaken at the Christie Hospital Foundation
Trust, Wilmslow Road, Manchester M20 4BX.
HCW funded guidelines for oncology FDG PET/CT referrals (from Jan 1st 2009)
Please note that the indications e and f are new as from January 1st 2009. Please note that
further indications will be added from April 1st 2009.
a. SPN Assessment of solitary pulmonary nodules in which biopsy is
considered difficult or dangerous, or has been attempted and is
inconclusive.
b. NSCLC
The staging of non small cell lung cancer prior to surgery or
radical radiotherapy.
c. Colorectal Carcinoma The assessment of RECURRENT colorectal carcinoma, for example,
indeterminate presacral masses, a rising CEA without any anatomical
abnormality or in preoperative staging prior to proposed hepatic or lung resection
for metastases.
d. Lymphoma The assessment of residual masses following first line chemotherapy
in Hodgkin's lymphoma or HIGH GRADE non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
e. Oesophagus The assessment of patients with oesophageal carcinoma prior to proposed
oesophagectomy.
f. Head and Neck i.Imaging of patients with proven metastatic squamous cell carcinoma in the head and
neck in whom extensive investigation with cross sectional imaging and direct visualisation has failed to
demonstrate a primary source
ii. Imaging of patients with suspected or confirmed recurrent or residual squamous cell carcinoma of the
head and neck. Specifically including those patients who have previously undergone surgery and/ or
radiotherapy and in whom conventional cross sectional imaging and endoscopic evaluation have failed to
clearly demonstrate either the presence or extent of recurrent disease. This group specifically includes
patients enrolled in the UK PET-NECK trial.