By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
In a significant medical advancement, the CHUS Research Center (CRCHUS) in Estrie has developed an innovative imaging test for prostate cancer, using the groundbreaking radiotracer 68Ga-PSMA-617. This test, which has already benefited over 600 men, offers unprecedented precision in cancer detection and marks the CRCHUS as the first in Canada to produce the radiotracer gallium-68 on a large scale. The achievement, recognized for its impact and innovation in the 2023-2024 Excellence Awards of the CIUSSS de l’Estrie – CHUS, symbolizes a major stride in bridging laboratory research with clinical practice, greatly enhancing the quality of prostate cancer care.
“It’s a new imaging technology,” Dr. Éric Turcotte, nuclear medicine specialist and researcher-professor at the CRCHUS, explained. The CRCHUS has a more than 23-year history with PET scanners. “We’ve played with that technology since 1998.” It is used for research but also clinically to detect cancer “many times per day”.
