AIIMS Raipur Begins In-House Production of PET Radiotracers for Advanced Cancer Imaging

The department now offers advanced PET imaging services supporting early diagnosis, cancer staging, and personalised treatment approaches.

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Raipur, has installed an automated radio synthesizer and Gallium generator within its Department of Nuclear Medicine.

This new infrastructure enables the institute to produce PET radiotracers on-site, making it the only government hospital in Chhattisgarh with this capability.

The department now offers advanced PET imaging services supporting early diagnosis, cancer staging, and personalised treatment approaches.

The newly available tracers include PSMA PET for prostate cancer, DOTA PET for neuroendocrine tumours and peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT), FAPI PET for tumours with low FDG uptake and fibrotic conditions, and Exendin PET for insulinoma localisation.

“These radiotracers improve diagnostic accuracy, especially in complex and systemic diseases,” said Dr Mudalsha Ravina, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Nuclear Medicine.

“In-house radiotracer production will enhance patient throughput, reduce reliance on external vendors, and support timely treatment decisions,” added Prof (Dr) Renu Rajguru, Medical Superintendent and Head of the ENT Department.

Dr Shobhana Raju, Assistant Professor in the Department of Nuclear Medicine, noted that the Gallium-labelled tracers are expected to support personalised cancer treatment approaches and research in cancer theranostics, particularly for prostate, gastrointestinal, and breast cancers.

According to Sai Shiv Narayan, Medical Physicist, the automation ensures consistent tracer quality, improves radiation safety, and streamlines department operations.

The department’s capabilities include PET-CT, SPECT-CT, radioiodine uptake probes, robotic systems for PET-guided biopsies, and low-and high-dose therapeutic interventions. AIIMS Raipur also offers an MD programme in nuclear medicine.

Lt Gen Ashok Jindal (Retd.), Executive Director and CEO of AIIMS Raipur, said the upgrade reflects the institute’s commitment to expanding advanced and accessible diagnostic services in central India. He noted the development aligns with the hospital’s growing oncology and metabolic disease services.

Recently, AIIMS Raipur introduced Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET) and Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO) estimation in its outpatient department (OPD).

The initiative aims to improve diagnostic accuracy and treatment strategies for patients with respiratory and cardiac conditions.

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