The program includes:
- Initial presentation in the clinic
- history taking
- general clinical examination
- laboratory tests:
- complete blood count
- biochemical analysis of blood
- urinalysis
- TSH-basal, fT3, fT4
- PSA blood test
- tests for urogenital infections
- indicators of inflammation
- indicators of blood coagulation
- ultrasound scan of the urogenital system
- renal scintigraphy
- PSMA PET-CT (if indicated)
- PSMA treatment
- full body scintigraphy after 24 hours
- full body scintigraphy after 48 hours
- symptomatic treatment
- cost of essential medicines
- nursing services
- elaboration of further recommendations
- stay in the hospital with full board
- accommodation in a room with 2 beds
How program is carried out
During the first visit, the doctor will carry out a general physical examination and go through the results of your previous laboratory and instrumental tests. After that, you will undergo any necessary additional tests, such as an assessment of your liver and kidney function, a scintigraphy of your skeleton and salivary glands, a PSMA PET/CT (additional cost). This will allow the doctor to calculate your individual dosage of the radionuclide.
PSMA therapy with Lutetium-177 is carried out via intravenous administration of a solution containing the radioactive isotope, Lutetium-177. The solution is injected through a catheter. This is a short procedure, as the infusion usually takes no more than 20 minutes.
During the procedure, you will need to apply cooling bags to your salivary glands, as Lutetium-177 partially accumulates in the salivary glands, affecting their function and causing a dry mouth. You will also receive intravenous saline solutions to protect your kidneys.
After the infusion of Lutetium-177, you will stay in a specially equipped (radiation-shielded) ward for 48 hours. The drug is quickly excreted by the kidneys, and after 48 hours you will no longer be dangerous to others. During these 48 hours, you can read, use a mobile phone, tablet or computer – none of these devices will be a source of radiation in the future.
Follow-up examinations include whole-body scintigraphy and computed tomography in 24 hours, and then again 48 hours after the procedure.
Required documents
- Medical records
- MRI/CT scan (not older than 3 months)
- Biopsy results (if available)
Service
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About the department
The Department of Nuclear Medicine at the University Hospital Freiburg offers the full range of modern diagnostics and therapy in this field. The department specializes in the examination and treatment of patients with benign and malignant thyroid diseases, scintigraphy and functional diagnostics of the skeleton, lungs, brain, heart, kidneys and sentinel lymph nodes. In addition, more than 3,000 PET-CT examinations are performed annually in the department. In this field, the focus is on the diagnostics of cancer and neurological diseases. The department is headed by Prof. Dr. Dr. med. Philipp Tobias Meyer.
The following advanced medical equipment contributes to the accurate diagnostics and successful treatment: SPECT and SPECT-CT systems, two PET-CT scanners (including fully digital PET-CT scanner with CT detectors, for example, a big-bore-System for radiotherapy planning). It should be noted that the department is a partner of the Comprehensive Cancer Center Freiburg, therefore it provides high-quality diagnostics and treatment of various cancer diseases.
Special attention should be paid to the research activities of the department, which focuses on the development and clinical trials of innovative methods of molecular diagnostics and therapy, as well as a hybrid imaging (PET-CT and SPECT-CT). In this case, key attention is paid to oncological and neurological diseases. For these purposes, the department also has a Section for Preclinical Examinations (including PET and CT in animals).
The main clinical focuses of the department include:
- Positron emission tomography for the diagnostics and treatment of cancers
- Modern combined PET-CT diagnostic method
- Diagnostics with the help of gamma camera (SPECT and SPECT-CT)
- Nuclear medicine methods for early diagnostics and treatment of the heart diseases
- Scintigraphy of the skeleton, lungs, brain, heart, kidneys and sentinel lymph nodes
- Radioiodine therapy for the treatment of benign and malignant thyroid diseases
- Radioligand therapy (for example, Lu-177-PSMA therapy in prostate cancer)
- Selective internal radiation therapy for liver tumors
- Other diseases and treatment methods
Curriculum vitae
- 1994 - 2000 Study of Human Medicine, RWTH Aachen and the University of Pennsylvania.
- 2000 Final examination.
- 2001 Doctoral thesis defense.
- 2002 - 2005 Research Fellow, Juelich Research Center, Institute of Medicine.
- 2004 - 2007 University of Cologne, Interdisciplinary Training Program in Molecular Medicine.
- 2001 - 2002 and 2005 - 2008 Assistant Physician, University Hospital Aachen and University Hospital Leipzig, Nuclear Medicine and Neurology.
- 2008 Medical Specialist in Nuclear Medicine.
- Since 2008 Head of the Department of Nuclear Medicine at the University Hospital Freiburg and W3 Professor (since 2014).
Main Research Focuses
- Molecular neuroimaging with the help of PET and SPECT. Focus: diagnostics and prognosis in neurodegenerative diseases.
- Preclinical and clinical examinations of radiopharmaceuticals for neurological and oncological imaging and therapy (in particular, ligand receptors).
- Development of techniques (PET-CT and SPECT-CT, quantitative assessment of blood flow and conductive nerve paths).
Photo of the doctor: (с) Universitätsklinikum Freiburg
About hospital
The University Hospital Freiburg is famous for its rich history and is one of the oldest and most prestigious medical facilities in Germany (one of the three best medical institutions in the country). The hospital was based on the Faculty of Medicine of the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, which celebrated its 550th anniversary in 2007. It should be noted that the hospital is proud of its world-renowned specialists, many of whom during their work here have become Nobel laureates.
The medical facility represents all fields of modern medicine. It consists of 42 departments, 11 institutes and 10 interdisciplinary centers. The highly qualified doctors of the hospital deal with the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with both common and rare diseases. All departments and institutes of the hospital take an active part in fundamental researches of international scale, due to which patients have access to the very latest achievements of medicine, advanced diagnostic methods, state-of-the-art medical equipment and proven effective methods of therapy.
The hospital has a variety of medical achievements, for example, the world's first TIPS procedure, the first implantation of the Jarvik-2000 artificial heart in Europe, the first robotic-assisted surgery on the brain, and the first combined cardiopulmonary transplantation in the land of Baden-Württemberg. In 2004, the University Hospital Freiburg became the first German hospital, which performed kidney transplantation in the incompatibility of blood groups. At the moment, the hospital belongs to medical centers with the greatest experience in performing such an operation.
An interdisciplinary approach to treatment, highly qualified staff, as well as individual patient care and a pleasant environment are key to the hospital’s success.
Photo: (c) depositphotos
Accommodation in hospital
Patients rooms
The patients of the hospital are provided with comfortable rooms with a pleasant design, which create a conducive atmosphere for recovery. The standard furnishing of the patient room includes a telephone, a free radio and TV, a device for calling medical staff, lockers and a safe, an adjustable bed, a chair and a table. The pediatric departments are designed with play areas. The patient may be accommodated in a single or double enhanced-comfort room (for example, with an ensuite bathroom) at an additional cost.
Meals and Menus
The patients are offered good three meals a day with a large selection of dishes. The patients inform about their wishes to the menu in advance, and this information is transmitted to the kitchen. Throughout the day, patients may drink mineral water and tea, which can be found in the department on special tables. The bedridden patients receive drinks from the nursing staff. Other drinks may be purchased at the hospital’s cafeterias and bistro, where patients can come along with visitors.
If you do not eat some products due to intolerance or other personal reasons, please notify the nursing staff in advance, so that all your wishes to be taken into account when preparing the menu.
Further details
Standard rooms include:
Television
All patient rooms have a free radio and TV. The patients can also watch the hospital’s own 24-hour channel with a varied program and interesting information.
Accompanying person
At the availability of free beds, the accompanying person may be accommodated in the same room with the patient, at an additional cost. In addition, the hospital offers special accommodation conditions for patients requiring long-term hospitalization. Parents have at their disposal special apartments in the children's hospital.