Published April 2005 — Download PDF of the original newspaper column
Byrd's-Eye View By U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd Saving Lives with Science
I never cease to be amazed by the medical advancements which have occurred during my lifetime. Each day, doctors and researchers make critical discoveries and develop new technologies that help people to enjoy longer and healthier lives. West Virginia University's Byrd Health Sciences Center is at the medical forefront, utilizing cutting-edge technology to provide top-notch patient care. WVU's Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center is home to an updated Positron Emission Tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) scanner which will allow physicians to make more accurate medical diagnoses and better determine the proper course of treatment. The non-invasive PET/CT scan provides a precise, three-dimensional picture of human organs in action. In this case, a picture is truly worth a thousand words, helping doctors to evaluate more fully a patient's condition and prognosis. While the PET/CT scanner's imaging technology can be used to diagnose a variety of medical conditions, it is particularly useful for cancer patients. It can more accurately determine whether a tumor is malignant or benign, and reveal a spread of the primary cancer to other parts of the body. The procedure is also a critical weapon in the battle against heart disease and neurological disorders. The health of thousands of West Virginians will benefit from WVU's newest health care service. PET research and treatment at WVU began in the early 1990s when I secured $1 0 million in federal funding to build and equip the Cancer Center for this lifesaving technology. At that time, PET was an experimental imaging technology, but, thanks to research efforts at WVU and elsewhere, it has become an important tool in contemporary medicine. I have secured additional funding in recent years to create a center for PET education as part of the new health sciences library under construction at WVU. The facility will serve as a national clearinghouse for information on PET technology and will help more health care facilities across the country to learn about and provide this critical service. For too long, West Virginians have had to travel far and wide for their medical services. Fortunately, times are changing. WVU medical professionals are leading the way to better treatments close to home for diseases that impact so many of our loved ones. By using the science of the future, we are saving lives today! April13, 2005