Because Seeing Disease Clearly Matters: What Our New Symbia Pro.specta Means for Cancer Patients

Every year, close to 190,000 Filipinos hear the words no one wants to hear: “You have cancer.” At Perpetual Help Medical Center – Las Piñas, we know that the moment right after a diagnosis is rarely about statistics — it’s about clarity. Patients want to know exactly what they’re dealing with, where it is, and what can be done about it. That clarity starts with imaging.

That’s why we’re proud to introduce the newest addition to our Radiology (MRI) Center: the Symbia Pro.specta, an advanced molecular imaging system from Siemens Healthineers.

Why “Seeing Disease Clearly” Isn’t Just a Slogan

In healthcare, treatment is only as good as the diagnosis behind it. A tumor that’s mapped precisely — its size, its location, and importantly, how it behaves biologically — can be treated far more effectively than one that’s only roughly understood.

Traditional imaging like CT or MRI is excellent at showing structure: the shape and location of an organ, a mass, or an abnormality. But structure alone doesn’t always reveal whether that abnormality is active disease, scar tissue, or something else entirely. That’s where molecular imaging comes in.

What Molecular Imaging Actually Does

The Symbia Pro.specta combines two imaging techniques in a single scan:

• SPECT (Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography) — which tracks a small, safe amount of a radioactive tracer as it moves through the body, revealing how tissues and cells are functioning.
• CT (Computed Tomography) — which provides a detailed anatomical map of the body’s structures.

By fusing these two views, our care teams get a picture that shows not just where something is, but what it’s doing — whether a lesion is metabolically active, whether disease has spread, and how a tumor is responding to treatment over time.

Supporting Theranostics: Treatment Guided by Precision

One of the features we’re most excited about is the Symbia Pro.specta’s support for theranostic applications in oncology — a growing field that combines diagnostic imaging with targeted therapy. In simple terms, theranostics uses the same molecular pathway to find the disease and, in many cases, to help guide or monitor treatment against it.

For patients, this translates into:

• More accurate staging — understanding exactly how far a cancer has progressed
• Better treatment planning — matching therapy to how the disease is actually behaving
• Ongoing monitoring — tracking how well a treatment is working over time, so adjustments can be made early rather than after the fact

Why This Matters for Patients in Las Piñas and Nearby Communities

Access to advanced molecular imaging has historically meant traveling to a handful of major hospitals, often in Metro Manila’s central business districts. With the Symbia Pro.specta now at PHMC Las Piñas, patients from Las Piñas, Parañaque, Bacoor, Muntinlupa, and the greater South Metro Manila and Cavite area can access this level of diagnostic precision closer to home — without the added stress of long travel during an already difficult time.

This system is part of our broader Institute of Radiology and Allied Sciences, alongside our Dual Source SOMATOM Drive CT scanner and our 1.5T Altea and Magnetom Flow Helium-Free MRI machines — and works hand-in-hand with our Dr. Robert P. Dulay Radiation Oncology Center and Comprehensive Cancer Care program for a more complete, connected approach to cancer care.

Our Commitment: Why Clarity Changes Outcomes

We often remind our patients that uncertainty is one of the heaviest parts of a cancer diagnosis. Clear imaging doesn’t just help our doctors make better clinical decisions — it helps patients understand their own condition, ask better questions, and move forward with more confidence, whatever their treatment path looks like.

That’s the philosophy behind bringing the Symbia Pro.specta to our hospital, and it’s the same philosophy behind our golden anniversary theme this year: “Golden Year, Greater Heights — Up and Beyond.” As we mark 50 years of service, investing in technology like this is our way of staying true to who we’ve always been — an institution Dedicated to Life.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is a SPECT/CT scan with the Symbia Pro.specta safe? Yes. The radioactive tracers used are administered in small, carefully controlled doses, and the procedure is a routine part of oncology diagnostics worldwide.

• Who should consider this type of imaging? Your doctor may recommend it if you have a confirmed or suspected cancer diagnosis, need staging or restaging, or require monitoring of how a tumor is responding to treatment.

• Where can I get this scan done? The Symbia Pro.specta is available through the Radiology (MRI) Center at Perpetual Help Medical Center – Las Piñas.

Get in Touch

For more information about PHMC Las Piñas’ Radiology Department (MRI Center):

• 📞 (63) 951 777 4408 / (632) 8874-8515
• 🌐 www.phmc.com.ph

This article is for general informational purposes and does not replace individual medical advice. Please consult your physician to determine if this type of imaging is appropriate for your condition.