فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

Background: PET scan is a non-invasive, complex and expensive medical imaging technology that is normally used for the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases including lung cancer. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to assess the cost effectiveness of this technology in the diagnosis and treatment of non- small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) in Iran. Results: The total annual running cost of a PET scan was about 8850 to 13000 million Rials, (0.9 to 1.3 million US$). The average cost of performing a PET scan varied between 3 and 4.5 million Rials (300 to 450US$). The strategies 3 (mediastinoscopy alone) and 7 (mediastinoscopy after PET scan) were more cost-effective than other strategies, especially when the result of the CT-scan performed before PET scan was negative. Conclusion: The technical performance of PET scan is significantly higher than similar technologies for staging and treatment of NSCLC. In addition, it might slightly improve the treatment process and lead to a small level of increase in the quality adjusted life year (QALY) gained by these patients making it cost-effective for the treatment of NSCLC.