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PubMed2004

[Monastery asylum. A contribution to the ethno-psychiatry of Greece].

The history of the mentally ill in Greece, at least from the foundation of the Kingdom of Greece in 1832 until the incorporation of the Ionian Islands in 1864, is without either lunatic asylums or specialised psychiatrists. Instead, it is a history of the intermingling of two psychiatric concepts. On the one hand, the imported "professional psychiatry" supported by government and Western education physicians and, on the other hand, the indigenous (autochthon) "folk psychiatry" supported by the majority of the people and by the Orthodox church. The interaction of both systems resulted in the phenomenon of the Greek "monastery asylum". This paper, based on rich archival material, presents this little-known chapter of Greece psychiatry from the view-point of social history.

Eastern Orthodoxy↗

PubMed2005

Inequalities in the distribution of rural primary care physicians in two remote neighboring prefectures of Greece and Albania.

INTRODUCTION: Inequalities in the distribution of primary care physicians are of great importance in the provision of health care. This becomes more apparent mainly in the rural and remote areas of each country. The objective of the present study was to evaluate and compare the degree of inequality in the provision of primary care physicians in two rural and remote prefectures of neighboring countries. We studied the cases of Ioannina, Greece and Gjirokaster, Albania during 2001. METHODS: In both prefectures, for all calculations made, we used the total number of physicians providing primary care in rural areas. This includes GPs, internal medicine specialists, non-specialised graduate physicians. All other physician specialties (eg. microbiologists) were excluded from the calculations of the present study. We calculated the population per physician ratio (PPR) for each health center in each prefecture. For the comparison of the inequality we used two relative inequality measures. We plotted the Lorenz curves and calculated the Gini coefficients for the distribution of physicians' workforce adjusted by population in the two districts. Finally, we calculated the difference in the inequalities in these distributions. The p values were two tailed and calculated for 95% confidence levels. RESULTS: The PPR for the whole prefecture of Ioannina, Greece was 1222. The lowest PPR, which corresponds to higher supply of human resources, was 205, while the highest (worst) was 8166. In the case of Gjirokaster the PPR was 2376 for the whole prefecture. The lowest PPR was 1323, while the highest was 4546 inhabitants per physician. Because the two curves do not intersect we can assume with certainty that primary care physicians in the prefecture of Ioannina were more unevenly distributed than those in the prefecture of Gjirokaster. The Gini coefficient for the distribution of primary care physicians in Ioannina was 0.489 (SD = 0.045), while that of the Gjirokaster district was 0.186 (SD = 0.034). The difference between the two Gini indices was 0.303 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Primary care physicians in both prefectures were unevenly distributed. The inequality in the distribution of primary care physicians was significantly higher in the prefecture of Ioannina, Greece compared with that of the prefecture of Gjirokaster, Albania. Further investigations could be made using a need adjusted index instead of PPR. For this purpose, the number of physicians could be adjusted for mortality, morbidity of chronic diseases or limiting longstanding illness. Studying the inequality patterns in districts could be aided by the use of other disciplines, such as geographical information systems, giving a clearer picture of the situation of primary care provision in these districts. The results of the present study could be considered by health policy researchers. It seems that human resources' density and inequality in the distribution of health manpower are both needed as indicators for a more thorough investigation of health services, especially in the case of rural and remote areas. Furthermore, health policy makers should focus on the redistribution of the health manpower towards a more equitable situation, based on the results of similar studies. Finally, the documentation of inter-country differences would prove helpful in terms of international cooperation and sharing of knowledge by policy makers when the objective is the equality and quality of health services provision.

Albania↗

PubMed2005

Real or media-mediated outbreak of coxsackie infections in 2002 in Greece?

The purpose of this study was to provide evidence about the existence of a coxsackie B outbreak in Greece in 2002 by comparing data of laboratory confirmed coxsackie B recent infections in northern Greece between 1998-2001 with data from 2002. The infections were confirmed serologically, using the indirect immunofluorescence method detecting IgM antibodies for coxsackie B1-B6 viruses. Sera from 2701 patients residents of northern Greece who were suspected to be suffering from coxsackie B virus infections were examined: 2056 between 1998 and 2001, and 645 in 2002. The comparison between the results of laboratory confirmed cases and data available at the laboratory between the two periods showed that: The total number of patients examined per year was higher in 2002 (645 versus an annual average of 514 in 1998-2001). The proportion of laboratory confirmed recent infections was lower in 2002 (27.8% versus 32.7%) and the estimated incidence was 0.66/10,000 for 2002 and 0.32-0.84/10,000 for 1998-2001. The age distribution differed: the proportions of cases in children versus cases in adults were reversed in 2002 compared with 1998-2001, with a higher proportion among children in 2002. The difference between the two periods was statistically significant. Children aged 3-5 years were the age group most affected in 2002. Seasonal distribution remained the same for both periods (peaks in spring and autumn). In 2002, three fatal cases occurred in April, but no deaths were reported in 1998-2001. The clinical syndromes involved also differed: cases of respiratory infections, mainly pneumonia, rose from 5.75% to 24.3% in children in 2002 and cases of myopericarditis rose in adults from 13% in 1998-2001 to 29.5% in 2002. The last finding, combined with the involvement of the media (because of the three fatal cases) and the panic in the general public that followed suggested that an outbreak had occurred, but we conclude that there was no outbreak.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

Emerging Salmonella Enteritidis anaerogenic phage type 14b: outbreak in Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish travellers returning from Greece.

In July 2001, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (Folkehelseinstituttet, FHI) reported a cluster of Salmonella Enteritidis of phage type 14b infections in Norwegian travellers returning from Greece. An increase in the same uncommon phage type was also registered in Sweden and Finland at the same time. Cases of S. Enteritidis PT 14b in patients returning from Greece were reported in these three Nordic countries in 2001 (303 cases), 2002 (164 cases) and 2003 (199 cases). Case-control studies performed in 2001 in Norway and Sweden indicated that consumption of chicken was associated with illness. In 2002 and 2003, continuing case reports indicated that this uncommon phage type had probably become established in the Greek food chain. Tour operators were informed and contacts were made with Greek public health authorities. Because place of infection is not systematically included in most Salmonella notification systems, the S. Enteritidis phage type 14b outbreak reported here may represent only part of a larger outbreak among travellers visiting Greece. Infections are often reported only in the tourists' home countries and public health authorities in the tourist destinations may not be aware of the problem. Further collaboration between national institutes of public health in Europe is needed to detect outbreaks occurring among tourists.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Prevalence of sexually transmitted infections in female sex workers in Athens, Greece - 2005.

There is little data on the prevalence of STIs in female sex workers, Greek and immigrants, working in Athens, Greece, since most of them work without any form of official license. Our aim was to establish the prevalence of STIs in asymptomatic legal Greek and immigrant female sex workers in Athens, Greece. The study involved an evaluation of gonococcal and chlamydial infection, early infectious syphilis, HIV infection, HSV-2 infection, Hepatitis B and C in 299 female sex workers who applied for an official work permit between May 2005 and October 2005. HSV-2 infection was more common in the Greek sex workers. No difference was found for the other STIs. Prevalence was related to age. A significant association was found between HSV-2 and syphilis. No HIV infection was detected. We concluded that asymptomatic sex workers can be a source of STIs which points out the need for a better health system control in Greece.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Beta zero and beta+ thalassemia genes in northern Greece.

In an attempt to estimate the prevalence of beta thal zero and beta thal+ thalassemia genes in northern Greece we analyzed hemoglobin samples of 32 subjects with sickle cell thalassemia (beta s/beta thal), from an area of northern Greece (Chalkidiki, 22-24E, 41-42N), where thalassemia and sickle cell disease are common. 24 subjects had no detectable Hb A and only 8 had Hb A ranging grossly between 3-5 per cent in six patients and 10-15 per cent in two patients. Thus the estimate of the relative frequency of the beta thal zero to the beta thal+ was found to be 0.75 +/- 0.077. For the beta thal+ gene, our findings are in agreement with all other Greek investigations in that it is associated with a low or very low presence of Hb A. As to frequencies, however, our findings differ significantly from results reported from other Greek investigators who examined mainly the population of Athens, and this may be explained by an uneven distribution of the various types of thalassemia genes in the various parts of Greece.

Alleles↗

PubMed1991

The role of the hepatitis delta virus in acute hepatitis and in chronic liver disease in Greece.

HDV infection has been documented in Greece for more than 3 decades. Its epidemiology appears to be changing over the years with a decrease in the general Greek population and an invasion of the delta virus in the community of drug addicts. For the time being HDV infection has a low endemicity in the general greek population, it has been detected with high endemicity in a rural community and it is spreading epidemically in the new, increasing population of Greek drug addicts. Chronic HDV infection has been detected constantly over 20 years with a higher frequency in HBsAg positive chronic liver disease (19.5-33.5%) than in asymptomatic HBsAg carriers with normal liver enzymes (5.9-9.2%). However, in the community of Archangelos, where HDV infection is highly endemic, and probably also all over Greece, the total number of chronic HDV carriers with minimal or no liver disease appears to be higher than those with severe liver damage. HDV infection plays a significant role in terms of morbidity and mortality from acute and chronic liver disease in Greece but the situation would have been much worse if chronic HDV infection was invariably associated with severe liver damage.

Acute Disease↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Expenditures for dental care in Greece. Comparison with other countries].

The health expenditures in developed countries show a remarkable increase over the last two decades representing 7-10% of their G.N.P. In Greece, the public health expenditures amounted to an average of 3.5% of the G.N.P. for the period 1977-1983. The private sector represents a very significant component, amounting to 2.4% of the G.N.P. Dental health expenditures in Greece are considered significantly low. They account 2% of the total health expenditures. For comparison, in other developed countries this percentage is quite higher of the order of 5 to 10%. It follows that there is a great need to increase the dental health expenditures in Greece so that the needs for dental treatment of the population can be met more easily achieved by increasing the emphasis of the dental care in preventive measures starting especially with the younger segment of the population.

Dental Health Services↗

PubMed1984

Medicolegal system in Greece. A combination of clinical and forensic pathology.

At the Annual Meeting of the National Association of Medical Examiners in Chicago, Illinois, in November 1981, Dr. W. Sturner, Chief Medical Examiner of the State of Rhode Island, gave his perspectives as far as clinical forensic medicine and pathology are concerned. This topic, therefore, brought to mind the idea of writing an analysis of the medicolegal system in Greece. This article attempts to show the advantages, problems, and the perspectives of an old-style medicolegal investigation system, existing in Greece since 1910. The clinical aspects of forensic medicine and pathology is exemplified by the presentation of the preliminary results of the study of injuries in traffic accident victims, 1,600 cases examined by the author with the support of other colleagues in Athens, Greece.

Accidents, Traffic↗

PubMed1994

Mitochondrial DNA polymorphism in northern Greece.

The polymorphism of human mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was studied in 118 unrelated Greeks (from northern Greece) using total blood cell DNA and the restriction enzymes HpaI, BamHI, HaeII, MspI, AvaII, and HincII. One new morph was identified for MspI (named MspI morph 18Gr) and is the result of a mutation in a previously thought monomorphic site at 104 bp. HpaI morph 1 was detected for the first time in a European sample. Also, AvaII morph 13 was observed in Greece in a frequency higher (5.93%) than that found in any other population. Eighteen mtDNA types were identified, three of which are new [86-2 (1-3-1-4-9-2), 87-2 (2-3-1-1-13-2), and 88-2 (2-1-1-18Gr-1-2)] and can be derived from already known mtDNA types by single restriction site changes. Type 57-2 (2-3-1-4-13-2), which had been previously characterized as "Italian," was found with higher frequency (4.24%) in northern Greece. The calculation of genetic distances and chi-square values through Monte Carlo simulation shows that the Greek sample does not differ from the Italian sample.

DNA Restriction Enzymes↗

PubMed1993

Atherosclerotic risk factors in female students of northwestern Greece.

The prevalence of predisposing atherosclerotic factors such as obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, smoking and consumption of animal fat in a cohort of all female students in the last class of high schools in Northwestern Greece was studied. A total of 590 students were included in the study. In all subjects body weight and height, SBP and DBP (in sitting position), total cholesterol and triglycerides (after 14 hours of fasting) were measured. Smoking and dietary habits were examined by a questionnaire. The results showed that 41.57% of the students were obese (Quetelet index > 22), 3.12% were considered as hypertensives (SBP > 140 mmHg and/or DBP > 90 mmHg), 14.19% had hypercholesterolaemia (total cholesterol > 5.439 mmol/l (210 mg/dl), 95th percentile in Greece), 4.7% had hypertriglyceridaemia (total triglycerides > 1.423 mmol/l (126 mg/dl) 95th percentile in Greece). Moreover, 22% consumed meat and 24% ate eggs at least four times per week. Only 13% of these students smoked habitually or occasionally. In conclusion, the prevalence of hyperlipidaemia and obesity in our cohort is significantly high and is correlated with nutritional factors. The detection of predisposing atherosclerotic factors in adolescents is of primary importance for early prevention of vascular damage.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Rheumatoid arthritis in Greece: clinical, serological and genetic considerations.

In the present study we summarize the clinical, serological and genetic peculiarities of Greek rheumatoid patients. Initially we demonstrated that Greek RA patients have a high frequency of Ro(SSA) antibodies in their sera and that these patients present a high incidence of D-penicillamine (DP) side effects. In addition, we showed that these patients were predominantly female and had an increased incidence of positive salivary gland biopsy, compatible with Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Subsequently, longitudinal studies showed that this subgroup of Ro(SSA) positive RA patients present erosive arthritis in a similar frequency compared to Ro(SSA) negative patients. In addition, we evaluated the prevalence of secondary SS in RA patients. We found that secondary SS was common (31%), benign, subclinical and required specific tests for its diagnosis. To answer the question regarding the existence of additional markers of DP toxicity (other than Ro(SSA) antibodies) in RA patients, we found that in addition to Ro(SSA) antibodies, circulating cryoglobulins were associated with DP side effects. All of these observations prompted us to compare the clinical, serological and radiological expression of RA in Greek and British patients. We found that Greek patients had less inflammatory articular disease, fewer extra-articular manifestations, less radiological joint destruction, and a high frequency of Ro(SSA) antibodies linked to a higher prevalence of secondary SS. Furthermore, a study from our group showed a lack of association of RA with HLA antigens, and only a weak association with HLA-DR1 and DR4 antigens. To clarify the clinical, serological and genetic differences between RA in Greece and that in other European countries, we examined HLA class II DNA polymorphisms in 92 adult Greek RA patients and compared them with those of 84 healthy ethically matched controlled individuals. We showed that RA in Greece is associated with the same HLA-DR beta alleles which confer susceptibility in northern European caucasoids. However, whereas 83% of northern European patients carry the HLA-DR beta motif, this was found in 43.5% of Greek patients. In addition, we investigated whether HLA-DR4 is a marker of disease severity in Greek RA patients. There was no difference between the DR4+ and DR4- patients with respect to disease duration, severity of arthritis, and the functional and anatomical joint scores. There was no statistical difference in the clinical manifestations among patients with different HLA-DR4 subtypes. The same was also true when the clinical picture was correlated with the "shared RA epitope". Finally, we investigated the prevalence of antikeratin antibodies (AKA) in our RA population. 16% of the patients had positive AKA antibodies. These antibodies were correlated with the presence of RF and HLA-DR1 antigen. We conclude that RA in Greece differs on clinical, serological and genetic grounds compared to RA in northern European countries. Multicenter European studies may provide valuable information regarding the differences observed among Greek and northern European RA.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗

PubMed1997

Epidemiology of adult rheumatoid arthritis in northwest Greece 1987-1995.

OBJECTIVE: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Greece differs in its clinical, serological, and genetic aspects from that of Northern European countries. We investigated the incidence and prevalence of RA in the district of Ioannina in northwest Greece for the period 1987-1995. METHODS: We investigated records of patients at rheumatology clinics of university and general hospitals and private clinics in Ioannnina. Diagnosis was by 1987 ACR criteria, and the population data were based on the 1991 national census. Crude and age specific rates were calculated as number of cases per 1000 inhabitants. Age adjusted rates were obtained by the direct method using the European standard population. RESULTS: A total of 428 cases of RA were identified during the study period. Total prevalence of RA was for men 2.05 and for women 4.78 cases/1000 inhabitants, and the total women/men ratio was 2.33. Annual incidence rates fluctuated between 0.15 and 0.36/1000 inhabitants. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest a low prevalence and low incidence of RA in northwest Greece. Environmental and/or genetic factors may explain this low frequency of the disease in the population studied.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

The mental health care delivery system in greece: regional variation and socioeconomic correlates.

BACKGROUND: In Greece, the functional capacity of the mental health care system until 1980, was totally inadequate to meet the increasing mental health needs of the population and to provide efficient and community-based services. This situation was brought to the attention of the Commission of European Communities and a special EEC Regulation No 815/84 provided the financial technical support for an extended psychiatric reform programme. The psychiatric reform programme initiated in 1984 and ended in 1995. AIMS OF THE STUDY: This study compared the geographical distribution of neuropsychiatrists and the mental health care delivery system structural components (psychiatric beds, extramural mental health units and places in rehabilitation services), according to the regional socioeconomic development for the years 1984, 1990 and 1996. Additionally the possible effects of the operation of community-based mental health services on the psychiatric hospitalizations were examined. METHODS: Data on the geographical distribution of neuropsychiatrists in the previously mentioned years were drawn from local Medical Association from each of 54 prefectures of the country. The corresponding distribution of the mental health care delivery system components was made available from the database of the Monitoring and Evaluation of Mental Health Services Unit. Pearson product moment correlations of the regional distribution of neuropsychiatrists and the various components of the mental health care system, as population-based ratios, with the corresponding socioeconomic development in the form of the general index of development were performed. Mental hospital age standardized rates were collected from the Hospital Central Register for the periods 1984-1987 and 1990-1993. Discharge rates were elaborated according to the existence of mental health services in specific regions. RESULTS: A wide regional variation in neuropsychiatrists per 100000 population was found in all three years, with the majority of them working in the greater Athens and Thessaloniki areas. In the geographical distribution of health regions, there is an uneven significant decrease in psychiatric beds between 1984 and 1996. However in almost all regions an increase in extramural services between the two critical periods was noticed, as part of the implementation of the psychiatric reform programme. A parallel and more dramatic increase in the places of rehabilitation in 12 out of 13 regions has been observed during the implementation of the reform programme. At the level of prefectures, the changes across time, in the mean ratios of beds, extramural services and rehabilitation places were not found to be significant. A significant decrease of discharges in prefectures covered by newly established extramural services for the period 1990-1993, compared to discharge rates during the period 1984-1987, when none of these services were in operation in these prefectures, was noticed. The intercorrelation matrix between the various mean values (1990-1996) of the mental health care system components in the 54 prefectures and the local general index of development scores produced statistically significant correlation coefficients. It seems that the greater the level of local socioeconomic development the higher the degree of mental health care delivery system growth. DISCUSSION: Our results have shown uneven regional distribution of neuropsychiatrists, as well as extramural mental health units and rehabilitation places, despite the current reorganization of the whole mental health care delivery system. The positive correlation between the various structural components of the system in the 54 prefectures and the local socioeconomic conditions could be interpreted as follows. Urban areas of higher socioeconomic growth had a long history of development of inpatient services in mental hospitals. In these several community-based alternatives have been established for their transformation into modern ones. Urban areas exhibit also higher psychiatric morbidity and therefore increasing mental health needs. Additionally in several cities local University Psychiatric Departments have developed a variety of mental health and rehabilitation services. Many new services highly specialized and complementary to existing mental hospitals were established in urban areas. Rural areas are mostly uncovered by mental health care facilities. However it seems that the establishment of community-based services could have an effect on mental hospital utilization. CONCLUSION: It becomes evident that after the implementation of the psychiatric reform programme in Greece significant progress in the areas of decentralization of mental health and rehabilitation services has been observed. However there are still areas in many prefectures, mainly rural or semirural, lacking the appropriate delivery of mental health care. IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH CARE AND POLICY FORMULATION: Our results suggest that flexible models of services should be introduced for the benefit of population living in areas lacking the necessary socioeconomic resourses. IMPLICATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH: Mental health services research in Greece should focus on quasi-experimental studies on the effectiveness of various models of mental health care in areas of different socioeconomic growth.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Inflammatory bowel disease-related dysplasia and cancer: A referral center study in northwestern Greece.

BACKGROUND: An increased risk of colorectal cancer in ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) has been reported. No data on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-related dysplasia and cancer is available in Greece, where the disease profile seems to be milder than that of northern Europe. METHODS: A study was conducted of 215 IBD patients (182 with UC, 33 with CD) from a referral center. Patients were followed up for 3-18 years. The prevalence of cancer and dysplasia among the IBD patients who were diagnosed in northwestern Greece was analyzed and registered. Statistical analysis was performed assuming that this IBD cohort had the same risk of developing malignancies as the general population in Greece. RESULTS: Six of the 215 patients in this IBD cohort had cancer, and 20 of 126 patients for whom bowel biopsies were available had dysplasia. Three of these cases were high-grade dysplasia. There was no significant difference in the numbers of calculated and expected cases of IBD-related cancer at any sites except for the skin [2.7 vs. 2.0]. CONCLUSIONS: This IBD cohort did not appear to have an increased risk of cancer during the time period studied. It would be interesting to re-assess the risk after the second and third decades of follow-up.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Economic evaluation of hemodialysis: implications for technology assessment in Greece.

OBJECTIVES: Hemodialysis is a well-established treatment for 74 percent of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients in Greece. The purpose of this study is to provide an estimate of the direct cost of dialysis in a public hospital setting and an estimate of the loss of production for ESRD patients. The results will be useful for public health facility planning purposes. METHODS: A socioeconomic prevalence-based analysis was performed using micro-economic evaluation of health-care resources consumed to provide hemodialysis for ESRD patients in 2000. Lost productivity costs due to illness were estimated for the patient and family using the human capital approach and the friction method. Indirect morbidity costs due to absence from work and long-term were estimated, as well as mortality costs. Mean gross income was used for both patient and family. RESULTS: Total health-sector cost for hemodialysis in Greece exceeds 171 million Euros, or 182 Euros per session and 229 Euros per inpatient day. There were 2,046 years lost due to mortality, and the potential productivity cost was estimated at 9.9 million Euros, according to the human capital approach, and 303.000 Euros, according to the friction method. Total morbidity cost due to absence from work and early retirement was estimated at more than 273 million Euros, according to the human capital approach, and 12.5 Euros, according to the friction method. CONCLUSIONS: Providing hemodialysis care for 0.05 percent of the population suffering from ESRD absorbs approximately 2 percent of total health expenditure in Greece. In addition to the cost for the National Health System, production loss due to mortality and morbidity from the disease are also considerable. Promoting alternative technologies such as organ transplantation and home dialysis as well as improving hemodialysis efficiency through satellite units are strategies that may prove more cost-effective and psychologically advantageous for the patients.

Cost of Illness↗

PubMed2001

Trichinellosis in Greece: a review.

Trichinellosis which constitutes a public health problem in many countries seems to be of no importance on both pig industry and public health in Greece, where in spite of a law requiring mandatory use of trichinoscopy during meat inspection, muscle larvae have not been found in slaughtered pigs since 1957 in Thessaloniki and 1967 in Athens. Since its first recovery in 1946 and up to 1952, human trichinellosis has been found or suspected in 22 persons in the area of Athens and Thessaloniki. Moreover, in 1968, T. spiralis larvae were found incidentally in a human with laryngeal tumor and in 1971, living larvae were postmortem recovered in the diaphragm of a 70-year-old man. The average incidence of infection in pigs at that time was 0.02-2.2%. Since then, no other clinical case had been reported up to 1982-1984 when 15 people were found to harbor the parasite and fourteen of them were part of an outbreak which occurred in a small village in Northern Greece. Moreover, 1.07% of the pig serum samples which came from the same area, showed the presence of specific antibodies. Because of the above data, it is generally accepted that in Greece T. spiralis is only rarely spread in man.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Nuclear medicine equipment and PET cameras in Greece and abroad].

TO THE EDITOR: Referring to recent discussions among many of our colleagues in Greece and to what Greek newspapers write about programming to buy more SPET and PET cameras in Greece and also relating to the usefulness of the PET camera, I would like to mention the number of PET cameras now functioning in many European countries and the important contribution of this new camera in diagnostic nuclear medicine. About 40% of the papers presented at the European Association of Nuclear Medicine Scientific Meeting last year, referred to studies performed by PET camera. In oncology, the PET camera may increase the diagnostic efficacy of SPET camera studies by about 30%. Unfortunately the PET camera is not used for all nuclear medicine applications and not all insurance companies agree to pay in full the cost of diagnostic procedures performed by the PET camera. Nuclear Medicine Societies of Greece should strongly suggest to the Ministries of Health and Education to provide public and especially university hospitals with a reasonable number of PET cameras. Also more SPET cameras should be bought to reach a ratio of at least one SPET camera per 100,000 inhabitants.

English Abstract↗