The scanner will visit Dunedin Hospital for a staff and public open day on Monday.
In a press release from Health New Zealand (HNZ), it said it expected the unit would be in regular service at Wakari Hospital from December or January.
HNZ Southern general manager for surgical services and radiology Stephen Jenkins said the mobile unit would make a big difference for southern patients requiring a scan.
“Most patients in the Southern district who require a PET-CT scan are referred to Christchurch, but from next week, they will be referred to the mobile imaging unit in Dunedin instead.”
The mobile imaging unit is jointly owned by the Mobile Health Group and Mercy Radiology.
"Most patients in the Southern district who require a PET-CT scan are referred to Christchurch, but from next week, they will be referred to the mobile imaging unit in Dunedin instead,” Mr Jenkins said.
Mobile Health Group chief executive Mark Eager said the mobile scanner would increase accessibility for thousands of cancer patients across the country.
"While PET-CT imaging is becoming increasingly available in metropolitan areas, a permanent service in Dunedin may still be some time away." — APL
