Equipment for diagnosing many types of cancer has stopped working in Ukraine, – journalist
5 August 2025 09:53
In Ukraine, modern diagnostics of Hodgkin’s lymphoma and other similar types of cancer has completely stopped due to the failure of the last working PET-CT machine. This was reported by journalist Vitaliy Chervonenko in his post, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.
“…all equipment for diagnosing many types of cancer has stopped in Ukraine – the last working PET-CT machine in the country has stopped working at the Center for Nuclear Medicine on Verkhovynna Street in the city cancer center,”
– chervonenko wrote.
According to him, the situation is critical:
“Before that, PET-CT diagnostics in Lisod died, and the third machine in the country in Feofaniya will not work at least until September – it is scheduled for November. That’s it, modern diagnostics of Hodgkin’s lymphoma and other similar cancers in Ukraine simply do not exist. The closest places now are probably Krakow or Lublin.”
According to the journalist, it used to be possible to get this examination with an appointment for a month or two. However, this is no longer the case.
Patients are left without diagnosis
In the comments to Chervonenko’s post, people who had their appointments canceled at the last minute confirm the situation.
In particular, Olga Sotnychuk wrote:
“My husband was scheduled for July 30. On the evening of July 29, we were informed that the examination was postponed indefinitely. No explanation was given.”
Reasons for the stop: breakdown or corruption?
Chervonenko names two possible versions of the problem: either the machine broke down or there were problems with the drug for it. In the second case, corruption may be involved.
“I heard rumors that there is some kind of corruption in the procurement of drugs for these studies. I didn’t want to believe it, but now people assured me that it was a breakdown and difficulties in repairing the equipment because of the war and the absence of specialists for this,”
– the journalist explained.
The irony of state guarantees
According to the journalist, the government has recently announced that diagnostics with this drug will be free for people.
“A few months ago, the authorities announced that PET-CT would now be covered by the state guarantee. It covered it so much that it was almost unbelievable,”
– chervonenko comments ironically.
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What is PET-CT?
PET-CT (positron emission computed tomography) is a modern method of tumor diagnosis used in oncology for early diagnosis of cancer, assessment of the prevalence of the tumor process and the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. PET-CT is an imaging device that combines positron emission tomography and computed tomography to determine the size of tumors and metastases with an accuracy of 5 mm.
The PET-CT procedure involves injecting a patient with a radioactive drug, most often labeled glucose, which accumulates in active cells. Cancer cells consume more glucose, so they “shine” brighter in the images, which allows you to detect tumors and metastases. PET (positron emission tomography) allows you to assess the activity of the body’s cells and is a type of scan that uses radiation to visualize activity in the body at the cellular level.
In Europe and the United States, positron emission tomography is a standard method of examining cancer patients before treatment and at subsequent stages, as well as a method of early diagnosis of cancer and metastasis. PET-CT is prescribed for a variety of cancers, including head and neck tumors, breast cancer, lymphomas (especially Hodgkin’s lymphoma and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma), lung cancer to detect primary tumors and metastases, colorectal cancer to monitor treatment effectiveness, melanoma to look for metastases, ovarian cancer to monitor recurrence, and sarcomas to assess the extent of the process.
PET-CT is not always suitable
There are practically no absolute contraindications to PET-CT, but there are certain limitations. Relative contraindications may include claustrophobia, pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, and inability to lie still during the procedure. Other restrictions may include breastfeeding, which requires a break after the procedure, uncontrolled diabetes, which can affect the image quality, and claustrophobia when you cannot lie still in the machine.
Not all doctors prescribe PET-CT for several reasons. Firstly, there is the problem of limited availability – until recently, only 3 PET-CT machines were operating in Ukraine, which created huge queues and limited patients’ access to the study. Secondly, the examination is expensive due to expensive radiopharmaceuticals with a short shelf life, complex equipment that requires special maintenance, and the need for highly qualified personnel.
In addition, PET-CT is not effective for all types of cancer due to specific indications. Some tumors, such as prostate or kidney cancer, may not accumulate enough radiopharmaceutical for clear visualization. Lack of awareness also plays a role – not all doctors are sufficiently aware of the capabilities of the method or have experience in interpreting PET-CT results. In many cases, doctors can obtain the necessary information using alternative methods, such as CT with contrast, MRI, Doppler ultrasound, or biopsy.
PET-CT and lymphoma
For Hodgkin’s lymphoma and many non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, PET-CT plays a particularly important role. This method allows you to accurately determine the stage of the disease, evaluate the effectiveness of chemotherapy after the first courses, detect residual tumor masses, helps plan radiation therapy and monitors disease recurrence. Prior to PET-CT examination, the patient undergoes individual counseling to study all the medical documentation provided to ensure an accurate examination result.
PET-CT is a highly informative diagnostic method, especially critical for patients with lymphoma. However, its prescription depends on many factors: availability of equipment, indications, economic capacity of the healthcare system, and knowledge of doctors. That is why the shutdown of all PET-CT machines in Ukraine creates a critical situation for cancer patients, especially those who need to be diagnosed with lymphoma.
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