For the last two years, the Vila Parc clinic has had the first and only Nuclear Medicine service in Ibiza, equipped with the latest generation PET-CT (Positron Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography) and will soon be expanded with SPECT-CT.
This nuclear medicine service, a pioneer on the island, attends both private and public health patients, thanks to the collaboration agreement with Ib-Salut, thus avoiding the need for cancer patients to travel to Palma for this essential test. A total of 1,051 tests have been performed in these two years, providing each patient with the convenience of being able to do it on the island, without the need to travel.
The result has been a direct improvement in the quality of life of people with cancer in Ibiza and Formentera, who can now access a quick, accurate diagnosis without leaving their environment.
PET-CT: a key tool in the fight against cancer
PET-CT combines in a single scan the functional information of cellular metabolism with high-resolution anatomical imaging, making it possible to detect tumors in their early stages, evaluate their extension and check the response to treatment.
“PET-CT has been a turning point in oncological care in the Pitiusas Islands,” explains Dr. Pilar María, a specialist in Nuclear Medicine at Clínica Vila Parc. “Thanks to this technology we can identify lesions long before they are visible with other tests, optimize treatments and avoid unnecessary procedures. Its impact on diagnostic accuracy and patient safety is enormous.”
PET-CT is today an essential tool in modern oncology. It allows the efficacy of chemotherapy, radiotherapy or targeted treatments to be assessed, and helps medical teams to make quicker decisions tailored to each case. Its ability to show the metabolic activity of tumors offers a more complete view than traditional anatomical imaging, which increases the chances of early diagnosis and improves survival.
A technological and human investment at the service of Ibiza and Formentera
The implementation of a Nuclear Medicine service on an island has been a major logistical, technical and human challenge. It required a significant investment in infrastructure, radiological safety measures and the training of a highly specialized multidisciplinary team.
“Bringing PET-CT to Ibiza was an ambitious and very complex project, but necessary,” emphasizes Tomás Isidoro, director of the Vila Parc Clinic. “Before, many cancer patients had to travel to Palma for this test. Today they can do it here, comfortably, without having to travel and with the same level of diagnostic quality. It is a huge change in accessibility and quality of life for patients.
The service not only avoids transfers, but also reduces diagnosis and follow-up times, allowing earlier action, precise treatment adjustment and improved patient support throughout the process.
Continuing commitment to innovation: new SPECT-CT arrives
As part of its constant commitment to the most advanced medical technology, Clínica Vila Parc has just incorporated a new SPECT-CT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography) equipment. This system, which will complement PET-CT, will expand the diagnostic possibilities in fields such as cardiology, bone medicine or renal and endocrine pathologies.
The SPECT-CT is already in the clinic’s facilities and, after the necessary technical and administrative procedures, it will begin to provide service soon.
“With the arrival of SPECT-CT, we reinforce our commitment to offer cutting-edge medicine in Ibiza, without the need to leave the island,” adds Dr. Pilar María “Our goal is to continue bringing the most advanced technology closer to the patient, because every minute counts in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.”
