Precision nuclear medicine, theranostics puts patients at the centre in Fondazione Poliambulanza

A project that combines technological innovation and attention to the person, designed to ensure the wellbeing of patients and caregivers: the renovated 'Alessandra Bono' Nuclear Medicine Department was recently inaugurated at the non-profit Fondazione Poliambulanza multi-specialist hospital institute in Brescia. The initiative represents a milestone for the Brescia hospital institute, the result of collaboration with the Alessandra Bono Foundation of Corte Franca (BS), set up in memory of Alessandra Bono, who died prematurely in 2016 from ovarian cancer.
The Alessandra Bono Foundation's donation to Poliambulanza, amounting to two million euros, has made it possible to purchase a latest-generation digital PET/CT scanner, capable of offering very high-resolution images and detecting tumour lesions of minimal size. The machine, which is characterised by high sensitivity and millimetre resolution, also makes it possible to significantly reduce the radiopharmaceutical dose and acquisition times, with faster, less invasive examinations and less exposure for the patient.

The new department is thus at the forefront of molecular imaging and theranostics, the latest frontier of precision nuclear medicine. This methodology integrates 'therapy' and 'diagnostics', allowing a molecular target to be identified and hit with a specific therapeutic radiopharmaceutical. In this way, the diagnostic phase guides and monitors the treatment, offering personalised and more effective clinical management. At Poliambulanza, theranostics is mainly applied in prostate, breast, lung and neuroendocrine cancers, paving the way for innovative protocols even for cases refractory to traditional methods.

From 2011 to 2024, the Nuclear Medicine of Poliambulanza followed more than 48 thousand patients, for more than 61 thousand services, consolidating a reference role for the territory.

The renovation is not only about technological equipment. The architectural design of the new department, by architect Annunziata Forte, was conceived to create a welcoming and inclusive environment, capable of combining functionality, beauty and serenity.

The waiting rooms, inspired by Maggie's Centres, are transformed into spaces for relating and listening, characterised by soft colours, modular furniture and clear paths. Every element - from the light to the materials - has been designed to reduce the distance between patient and clinical environment, restoring dignity and humanity to the treatment pathway. Between books and personalised music playlists, the space is no longer a waiting area but a living area. Caregivers also have dedicated spaces, designed to encourage participation and sharing of the care experience.