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Mon 12 Dec 2002Cancer scanner may be in place by 2004The Republic could have its first publicly funded state-of-the-art cancer scanner in 2004 if a proposal currently before the Department of Health is approved.Pet or positron emission tomography scanning is the latest method of detecting cancer. It is superior to CT or MRI scans in making an accurate diagnosis in patients with suspected tumours; PET can also reduce the need for biopsies using invasive procedures.