Life Healthcare, South Africa’s second-largest private hospital group, has announced that it has acquired the non-clinical operations of TheraMed Nuclear Benoni.
According to the group, which has nine facilities in the East Rand and surrounding area, the Benoni practice is situated adjacent to Life The Glynnwood Hospital.
TheraMed utilises advanced technology such as positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT), known as PET-CT, and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and computed tomography (CT) known as SPECT-CT to reveal both the body’s structural and cellular function of cells and tissue in a single scan.
“This brings finality to the TheraMed transaction after the first two sites in Midstream and Honeydew were acquired in June 2023,” it said.
The purchase of TheraMed Nuclear forms part of the Life Healthcare Group’s broader South African diagnostics strategy, which includes diagnostic imaging and nuclear medicine.
Life Healthcare South Africa CEO Adam Pyle said: “The acquisition of the non-clinical operations means that Life Healthcare now owns and manages the infrastructure and equipment and employs the radiographers and support staff, while the nuclear physicians and radiologists continue to provide clinical services in their independent capacities.”
This technology can support clinicians with more accurate management and treatment of diseases such as cancer. PET-CT scans use a safe, low dose of radioactive nuclear medicine injectables (radiopharmaceuticals) to check the activity or metabolic processes of cells in different parts of the body and can give more detailed information about cancer or abnormal areas compared to X-rays, CT scans, or MRI scans alone, the group said.
Life Healthcare group chief medical officer Mark Ferreira said: “PET-CT scans are important in helping clinicians determine if a tumour may be cancerous, whether cancer has spread to other parts of the body or how well treatment is working.
“PET-CT provides oncologists with accurate information on the extent and severity of disease which enables them to better plan a patient’s cancer management and avoid over- or undertreatment. Studies have demonstrated that PET-CT can positively impact patient outcomes, improve survival rates, and lower the total cost of care.”
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