Nuclear Institute of Medical Radiotherapy (NIMRA), Jamshoro, a hope for cancer-allied patients of the country particularly of Sindh, is playing pivotal role in diagnosing and managing various diseases and treatment of cancer.
The nuclear medicine and radiotherapy are the most dynamic and fast growing disciplines of medicine that played a pivotal role in the diagnosis and management of cancer and allied diseases, NIMRA Jamshoro Director Dr Shamshad Ali stated this in an interview with APP on Monday.
He said the NIMRA was the third amongst 13 Nuclear Medical Centres of the country, which established by Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) in 1965. It has so far provided such treatment to tens of thousand of poor and needy cancer patients.
This year, he informed that over 28,000 patients were provided medical services at NIMRA, adding that 90 percent of them were provided services free of charges while the rest were charged very nominal.
About NIMRA, he said the performance of the institute might be envisioned under three main divisions, which included Therapeutic (Oncology) Division, Diagnostic Division and Clinics (Thyroid and Breast Care Clinic). He informed that the oncology division was providing treatment facilities on indoor and outdoor basis to the patients suffering from deadly ailment cancer. It is also providing services in the field of Radiation therapy, Chemotherapy and Hormonal therapy, he added.
About Radiation Oncology Division, DR. Shamshad Ali informed that it was a clinical specialty in which ionising radiations were used for the management of cancer patients.
He said this institute was the first medical centre under PAEC to provide treatment facilities for various cancers through intracavitary insertion in case of gynaecological malignancies, Cs-137 needles and tubes, Ir-92 flexible wires and radioactive gold grain implants.
He said the radiation oncology department at NIMRA was now equipped with the latest and sophisticated state of art equipments for the radiation therapy, which included Simulator, Linear Accelerator, Cobolt-60 Teletherapy Units and Sr-90 Beta rays Brachytherapy applicators.
About Medical Oncology Division, Dr Shahmshad Ali said it had made important contribution to the treatment of cancers and refers to the administration of cyto-toxic drugs to the patients. It was being used to treat inoperable residual or metastatics disease, in adjuvant setting after surgical removal of primary tumour to eradicate sub-clinical micrometastatics disease and reduce the risk of recurrence or as neo-adjuvant therapy to debulk the primary tumour prior to surgery, he said.
He informed that 60-bed indoor patient ward, donated by Sindh government at Liaquat University Hospital, Jamshoro, was attached with the institute. Efforts were being made for the establishment of indoor patient ward at NIMRA, Jamshoro, he added.
He informed that NIMRA holds the honour for introduction of Thallium Cardiac Studies in Pakistan and the technique of Ultrasonology in this region of the country.
He informed that the Department of Nuclear Medicine, a diagnostic science incorporating radiopharmaceuticals, was a safe reliable and minimally invasive diagnostic modality for studying the physiological and functional status and diagnosing the diseases in an organ.
The department is fully equipped to carry out any nuclear medicine procedure with the help of E.Cam Single head gamma camera, latest and sophisticated Signature Series Dual head E.Cam gamma camera and Treadmill ETT system. To list few, following investigations are being carried out routinely at NM department:
The investigations of Nuclear Cardiac studies including Thallium stress test and MUGA, Skeletal Scintigraphy, Thyroid Studies, Renal Studies with differential renal function and GFR and Hepato-biliary Studies are being carried out in the Department of Nuclear Medicine.
The Department of Radio Immunoassay (RIA) encompasses quantitation of biologically important substances in the serum or other body fluids, he said, adding that usefulness of RIA stems from its high specificity and sensitivity in detecting a variety of hormones and drugs in very small concentration.
In RIA department at NIMRA, he informed that estimation of Thyroid hormones (T3, T4 and TSH), fertility related hormones (FSH, LH and Prolactin) and tumour markers was carried out by the current sophisticated and sensitive equipments.
Dr Shamshad Ali said the consultant medical practitioners provided consultations regarding the diagnosis and treatment of thyroid disorders thrice a week in Thyroid Clinic of NIMRA. Giving details about the Breast Care Clinic, he informed that PAEC had established Breast Care Clinics at all its medical centre for the mass screening of the population.
In addition to routine clinical work, he informed that NIMRA was actively engaged in various research, teaching and training programmes. The research programmes in the field of Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy and Radio Immunoassay were being carried out both independently and in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Pakistan Medical Research Council (PMRC), other establishments of PAEC and local universities, he said.
He informed that medical doctors and scientists at NIMRA were imparting knowledge and guidance to the undergraduate and postgraduate students of MBBS, FCPS, DMRT, DMRD, DNM, M.Sc, M.Phil and nursing in collaboration with Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro and Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Islamabad.
He informed that NIMRA had recently taken up the challenge to educate the masses about the fact that Cancer is Treatable. The seminars and lectures were being arranged on monthly basis under the banner of "War against Cancer" at local government hospitals, he added. Consultant Oncologists and Nuclear Medicine Physicians from NIMRA deliver lectures and answer the queries of medical professionals and general public.