PET Scanning in Ontario
Fifteen PET centres across the province provide PET scans for people who meet the criteria for funding.
Ontario uses evidence to inform decisions about the use of PET scans. Read more about how Ontario builds evidence for PET scanning in the Ontario's Evidence-Based Approach section of this page.
PET Scanning Services
PET scans in Ontario are available as OHIP-covered (insured) or uninsured services (PET Registry, PET Access Program) based on established criteria. There is no charge to the patient for any PET scans provided as part of the PET Scans Ontario program.
PET scans are not funded for Ontario residents who receive a PET scan either:
- within Canada for services outside of the insured or uninsured programs
or - out of country without prior approval from the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care’s Out of Country unit
PET Scans Ontario provides referral forms for all indications, by disease site, which physicians may use to submit requests to PET centres. See Refer a Patient for eligibility criteria and forms.
Insured PET Services
The Ontario Health Insurance Program (OHIP) pays for PET scans for indications (diseases or conditions) that meet all of these criteria:
- there is enough evidence that the PET scan has the potential to benefit the patient
- PET scanning has advantages over other imaging tests
- the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has approved funding
PET Registry
The Ontario PET Registry makes PET scans available to patients in certain cases where some evidence supports the benefit of PET scanning, but the evidence is too weak to support funding through the Ontario Health Insurance Program (OHIP).
The registry collects data on participating patients to strengthen the evidence supporting the use of PET scans for eligible indications.
PET Access Program
The Ontario PET Access Program considers requests on a case-by-case basis to fund PET scans for patients who may benefit, but who do not meet the eligibility criteria for funding under any other program. For funding to be granted, a panel of experts must agree that a PET scan will provide more benefit to the patient than other available tests.
Physicians applying through this program have to confirm in the application that other diagnostic tests do not provide the clinical information needed. They must also explain how a PET scan may influence the clinical management of the patient.
For more information on the PET Access Program, including policies and processes, please see the PET Access Policy.
If a request for a PET scan through the PET Access Program is not approved, the referring physician can submit a request for a resubmission, a reassessment or an appeal. For information on the eligibility criteria, filing process and review process, download the PET Access Program Resubmission, Reassessment and Appeals Policy.
Ontario’s Evidence-Based Approach to PET
As PET technology was emerging in the early 2000s, many places started using PET scans as part of routine clinical care. Yet there was little evidence that PET made a significant difference to clinical decisions and patient outcomes. Ontario began supporting high-quality clinical trials to find out where PET scanning affects clinical decisions or provides value over other tests.
By 2009, the evidence supported routine use of PET for some clinical scenarios. Ontario added these indications to the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP). That ensured patients would receive PET scans only for approved uses.
Ontario continues to build evidence by assessing new indications through the PET Registry. For clinical scenarios where the evidence is more limited, the province operates the PET Access Program for case-by-case reviews. For more information, see the PET Registry and PET Access Program sections on this page.
A Provincial PET Steering Committee makes recommendations on new evidence-based clinical indications. The committee includes clinical oncologists, nuclear medicine physicians, and other experts in PET technology and related areas.