As a part of the technical cooperation programme between the Republic of Serbia and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and with the support of Serbian Radiation and Nuclear Safety and Security Directorate (SRBATOM) and the Ministry of Health, a project under the name of “Improving Diagnostics of Cardiovascular Diseases and Identification of Sentinel Lymph Nodes in the Surgical Treatment of Breast Cancer and Melanoma” will be realized during the 2024-2025 cycle.

This project will be realized simultaneously in the University Hospital Medical Center of Bezanijska kosa in Belgrade and the University Clinical Center of Kragujevac.

The Surgery Clinic at the University Hospital Medical Center of Bezanijska kosa will enhance its work through the procurement of a sentinel lymph node probe, as well as the education the surgeons will receive following the introduction of this method in everyday practice. This will significantly reduce the number of radical breast operations, and, at the same time, speed up the recovery of the gravest patients. The same method will be applied in the treatment of malign melanoma patients as well.

The Center for Nuclear Medicine at the University Clinical Center of Kragujevac will benefit from this project through a variety of educational programmes and the procurement of SPECT/CT gamma camera. As a result, the Center will introduce nuclear cardiology in its everyday practice and, thus, enhance the diagnostic confidence in case of cardiovascular diseases.  It is expected that the introduction of this method will considerably shorten the waitlist for the diagnostic coronarography, accelerate the process of making diagnostic decisions, and lead to well-informed treatment and therapy of cardiovascular patients.

The project, amounting to slightly over 750,000 euros is yet another project serving to provide valuable equipment, educate the staff and enhance the level of health care of the citizens of Serbia.