From a World First to Global Impact: 25 Years of PET/CT at University Hospital Zurich

Symposium

On October 30, 2026, the University Hospital Zurich and GE HealthCare will celebrate a milestone in medical imaging: 25 years ago, the world's first clinical PET/CT scanner was installed at USZ. What began as a groundbreaking clinical and technological innovation has revolutionized diagnostic imaging and precision medicine worldwide.
This anniversary is not only an occasion for a proud retrospective, but also an opportunity to highlight the enduring importance of long-term collaboration.

Format

On Site

Location

Universitätsspital Zürich, Schmelzbergstrasse 12, 8091 Zürich

Lecture hall

Grosser Hörsaal OST (HOER B10)

Date

30.10.2026

Time

09:30 - 15:00

Credits

This event is accredited by the Swiss Society of Nuclear Medicine (SGNM/SSNM) with 4 CME credits.

Costs

Free of charge

Program

09:30	Arrival & registration
10:00	Moderated Opening and Welcome address
10:30	Moderated Panel Discussion Matthias Goyen, Prof. Dr. med., GE HealthCare (Host) Ken Herrmann, MD, MBA, University Hospital Essen Mike Sathekge, MD, PhD, FSNMMI, University of Pretoria Patrick Veit-Haibach, MD, FRCPC, University of Toronto Roger Schibli, Prof. Dr., ETH Zurich Frank Urbaniok, Prof. Dr. med. Gustav K. von Schulthess, Prof. em. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. Jan Beger, GE HealthCare
11:30	Tour of Department of Nuclear Medicine and Lunch
12:30	Scientific lectures Valentina Garibotto, MD, PhD, University Hospital Geneva Ken Herrmann, MD, MBA, University Hospital Essen Mike Sathekge, MD, PhD, FSNMMI, University of Pretoria Patrick Veit-Haibach, MD, FRCPC, University of Toronto
15:00	Adjourn

The event at the end of October highlights the groundbreaking significance of this technology, which has fundamentally redefined diagnostic imaging by combining functional and anatomical information.

At the same time, it celebrates the long-standing collaboration between the University Hospital Zurich (USZ) and GE HealthCare, which since the initial installation has evolved into an internationally recognized partnership in research, education, clinical excellence, and technology development.

Furthermore, the symposium offers a glimpse into the future by linking the PET/CT success story with current and emerging developments in molecular imaging, theranostics, artificial intelligence, and precision medicine. At its core, the event tells the story of how a visionary clinical idea, scientific excellence, and industrial collaboration, over time, give rise to an innovation that becomes a global standard.

Registration

Please register by October 23, 2026.

Valentina Garibotto, MD, PhD

Professor Valentina Garibotto studied medicine in Genoa and specialized in nuclear medicine in Milan, earning an MD focused on brain metabolism and Alzheimer's disease. After postdoctoral research in Germany on neuroimaging and neurotransmission systems, she joined the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) nuclear medicine team in 2009 and established a clinical and research program on advanced molecular imaging for Alzheimer's disease. Since 2021, she has led the Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, overseeing national and international projects developing innovative diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals. She also serves as Scientific Event Council Chair of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine and actively contributes to international initiatives focused on molecular imaging and therapy.

Ken Herrmann, MD, MBA

Professor Ken Herrmann is Medical Director of the Department of Nuclear Medicine at University Hospital Essen and Professor of Nuclear Medicine. His clinical and research work focuses on molecular imaging, oncology and theranostics. He previously held academic and leadership positions at UCLA and University Hospital Würzburg and served as Chair of the EANM Oncology & Theranostics Committee. He is an editor of leading nuclear medicine journals and has authored more than 700 peer-reviewed articles.

Mike Sathekge, MD, PhD, FSNMMI

Professor Mike Sathekge is President and CEO of the Nuclear Medicine Research Infrastructure (NuMeRI) and Head of Nuclear Medicine at Steve Biko Academic Hospital and the University of Pretoria. He is internationally recognised for his leadership in radiotheranostics and targeted alpha therapy and has served as principal investigator in several early-phase studies. He has received numerous honours and is Editor-in-Chief of Seminars in Nuclear Medicine.

Patrick Veit-Haibach, MD

Patrick Veit-Haibach is a dual-certified Radiologist and Nuclear Medicine Physician at the Joint Department Medical Imaging, Toronto. He spend his residency and initial staff years in Germany and in Switzerland at the University Hospital Zurich and the Cantonal Hospital Lucerne.

Dr. Veit-Haibach joined the JDMI in Toronto in April 2017 as the Director of PET/MR program. Since then, he assumed the position of the Division Head Abdominal Imaging in JDMI as well as Deputy Radiologist-in-Chief and Program Medical Director and currently serves as the Managing Director of Neuroradiology. In addition, he has been appointed as the Theranostic Lead at JDMI as serves as the Co-Director of the Silber Family Theranostic Centre at UHN. Dr. Veit-Haibach is Full Professor for Radiology and Nuclear Medicine at the University of Toronto.

We sincerely thank our sponsors for their support.

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Contact

Helena Djordjevic

Mail Helena.Djordjevic@usz.ch

Partner

GE HealthCare

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From a World First to Global Impact: 25 Years of PET/CT at University Hospital Zurich

Symposium

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Location

Lecture hall

Date

Time

Credits

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Program

Registration

Valentina Garibotto, MD, PhD

Ken Herrmann, MD, MBA

Mike Sathekge, MD, PhD, FSNMMI

Patrick Veit-Haibach, MD

We sincerely thank our sponsors for their support.

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From a World First to Global Impact: 25 Years of PET/CT at University Hospital Zurich

Symposium

Format

Location

Lecture hall

Date

Time

Credits

Costs

Program

Registration

Valentina Garibotto, MD, PhD

Ken Herrmann, MD, MBA

Mike Sathekge, MD, PhD, FSNMMI

Patrick Veit-Haibach, MD

We sincerely thank our sponsors for their support.

Platinum

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Contact

Partner

Responsible Department

Department of Nuclear Medicine