KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Cardinal Health today announced an agreement with ProVision Healthcare to manage and operate its cyclotron facility in Knoxville, Tenn. The agreement will enable Cardinal Health to further expand its nationwide capability to manufacture molecular imaging biomarkers that aid in the early diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of cancer, neurological disorders and heart disease.

Cyclotrons are critical to the manufacturing process for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) molecular imaging agents, one of the fastest-growing areas of nuclear medicine. When injected into the body, these specialized radiopharmaceuticals, called biomarkers, detect and trace abnormal cellular functions that are associated with a variety of diseases. Visible using sophisticated imaging scanners, these biomarkers make it easier for physicians to non-invasively diagnose critical, life-threatening diseases in their earliest stages. They can also improve physicians' ability to track the effectiveness of patient treatment plans.

The Knoxville cyclotron facility will mark Cardinal Health's second in Tennessee, where the company also owns and operates a cyclotron center in Memphis. The Knoxville cyclotron facility is part of the East Tennessee Healthcare Center (ETHC), which offers a full array of clinical services including diagnostic imaging, a breast care facility and wellness, oncology and cardiology services. The cyclotron is also located nearby Cardinal Health's existing nuclear pharmacy in Knoxville, where Cardinal Health will dispense PET imaging agents into patient-specific doses.
"ProVision Healthcare shares our commitment to quality and to making molecular imaging technology more accessible to clinicians and patients," said John Rademacher, president of Cardinal Health's Nuclear and Pharmacy Services. "Our agreement will play a key role in enabling us to bring this important modality to patients in Tennessee and throughout the southeast United States."

Rademacher said that, as with all Cardinal Health-operated cyclotrons, the Knoxville cyclotron facility will also be available to support clinical trials to evaluate the effectiveness of new PET imaging agents.

"Cardinal Health's expertise in the manufacture and distribution of PET biomarkers; its expansive, national radiopharmacy network and its innovative work with pharmaceutical manufacturers to support clinical trials all made them the ideal partner to operate our cyclotron," said Terry Douglass, founder of ProVision Healthcare. "We look forward to working with Cardinal Health to bring molecular imaging technology to the area to better meet the health care needs of our patients."

More HCB News