Lake Norman hospitals seek OK for 3D body scanner
Public hearing set for Oct. 20 at Statesville library
Four hospital systems in the Charlotte region are competing for state approval to set up a fixed 3D body scanner in the Lake Norman area, with the proposed projects totaling millions of dollars.
Atrium Health, Duke University Health System, Novant Health and Southern Oncology Specialists have submitted proposals to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
The state will choose one of the plans to move forward.
The hospital systems are seeking approval to operate a fixed positron emission tomography scanner at their respective facilities in Mecklenburg, Lincoln or Iredell counties. The device uses a radioactive tracer to produce detailed images of organs and tissues, helping detect diseases such as cancer.
The hospitals filed Certificate of Need applications with the state. A PET scanner is listed as a need for the area in the 2026 State Medical Facilities Plan, which defines a service area consisting of Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Rowan, Stanly and Union counties.
Because permanent equipment like PET scanners serves patients from across the region, state regulators review the overall need across all eight counties rather than evaluating one county at a time.
When two or more health systems compete for approval, state regulators review the applications to determine whether they meet certificate-of-need requirements before selecting a winning proposal.
North Carolina law requires healthcare providers to receive state approval before acquiring, replacing or expanding facilities and equipment, with limited exceptions. Approval is also required for certain medical services to help control rising costs and prevent duplication.
The PET proposals
Here's a closer look at the proposals.
■ Charlotte-based Atrium Health wants to add a fixed PET scanner at its Lake Norman facility in Mecklenburg County. The PET scanner would be in a dedicated space at the new Lake Norman Medical Plaza II, 1130 Tree of Life Lane, Cornelius. It's expected to cut average drive times for patients in northern Mecklenburg County from more than 34 minutes to 17 minutes and reduce scheduling delays at nearby hospitals. The scanner will serve oncology, cardiology and neurology patients, including those needing Alzheimer's testing. The facility expects to perform 847 scans in its first year and 2,089 annually by 2032. The Atrium project will cost $11.6 million and is projected to be completed in January 2030, if approved.
■ Durham-based Duke Health is seeking approval for a fixed PET/CT scanner at its Lake Norman hospital in Iredell County, at 171 Fairview Road, Mooresville. This project includes renovating 1,900 square feet of hospital space to accommodate the scanner, five patient prep bays, reading rooms and a lab. The addition would improve local access to PET imaging, as more than 70% of Iredell County residents travel outside the county for the service, Duke Health said. It also said the technology would expand diagnostic and treatment options for cancer, heart and neurological conditions, including advanced therapies for prostate and neuroendocrine cancers. The service is expected to perform 2,303 PET scans annually by its third year. The project is expected to cost $9.3 million and would be completed in July 2028, if approved.
■ Southern Oncology Specialists, based in Huntersville, is proposing to acquire one fixed PET/ CT scanner to operate at its facility in Lincoln County, at 268 Gillman Road in Denver. The project is intended to make cancer scans more accessible and affordable, especially for seniors and low-income patients. The facility expects to perform 596 PET scans in its first partial year and 1,566 annually by 2030. The $1.2 million project is projected to be completed in May 2027, if approved.
■ Winston Salem based Novant Health is proposing to acquire a fixed PET scanner for Huntersville Medical Center at 10030 Gilead Road in Mecklenburg County. The project would expand access to PET scans in an area where a shared mobile scanner operates beyond capacity and patients may wait several weeks for appointments. A permanent scanner is expected to increase annual scans from 1,867 in its first year to 2,629 by the third year. It would also help meet the needs of the area's growing and aging population while reducing travel times and delays for patients being tested for cancer, heart disease and neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's. If approved by the state, the $9.1 million project is expected to be completed in January 2029, if approved.
What's next?
A public hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Oct. 20 in the meeting room at the Iredell County Public Library, Statesville Main Branch, 201 N. Tradd St., Statesville.
Anyone may submit written comments regarding the proposals.Comments must be received by the Healthcare Planning and Certificate of Need Section no later than 5 p.m. Oct. 1.
Comments can be emailed as an attachment to DHSR.CON.Comments@dhhs.nc.gov or mailed to Healthcare Planning and Certificate of Need Section, Division of Health Service Regulation, 2704 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-2704.
