When a scan changes the plan, it changes the outcome. In oncology and neurology, timing matters, and so does what we can detect before symptoms or structural changes become obvious. Hybrid Positron Emission Tomography combined with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (PET/MRI) combines metabolic PET imaging with the structural detail of diagnostic MRI, supporting earlier and more confident detection of diseases such as cancers and neurodegenerative conditions. Rather than relying on anatomy alone, PET/MRI can highlight functional and metabolic activity that may indicate disease progression, helping clinicians refine decisions across diagnosis, staging, and follow-up.

The Molecular Imaging Center (I-ONE© Center) operates under the umbrella of Wadi-Jeddah, the investing arm of King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, and is designed to bridge academic capability with real clinical demand. That “university-to-clinic” link matters because advanced imaging is only valuable when it is integrated into multidisciplinary care pathways and continuously updated through research, training, and quality practice.

I-ONE Center has served thousands of patients across the Kingdom since 2018. Across multiple referral scenarios, PET imaging has helped reveal clinically significant findings such as metastases or abnormalities that may be missed by conventional imaging alone, enabling earlier treatment adjustment when time is critical. Additionally, post-treatment follow-up scans have shown good treatment response in about 85% of cases within our monitored follow-up cohort, providing clinicians and patients with clearer evidence of therapeutic effectiveness.

The increasing number of referred cases to the Center from different health sectors reflects its role as a trusted regional hub. Today, 50% of referrals are from government hospitals, 30% from private providers, and 20% are supported by charity organizations. This diversity highlights how widely the I-ONE Center is relied upon across the health system, particularly in the western and southern regions of Saudi Arabia, where access and distance can be a real barrier to timely diagnosis. Our PET/MRI scanner is among the first clinically operational PET/MRI modalities in Saudi Arabia, in parallel with our PET/CT scanner, which is part of a limited national footprint of PET/CT availability.

Beyond imaging, I-ONE Center is the only provider of radiopharmaceutical tracers in the western and southern regions and one of only a few providing centers in Saudi Arabia, which puts I-ONE at the center of a fast-growing national demand curve. I-ONE produces the radiopharmaceutical tracers needed for PET imaging in our Center and also provides these radiotracers to other hospitals in the region. This crucial role provides the service locally, avoids travel to other regions, and reduces travel-related expenses. Additionally, these services allow public and private hospitals in the western and southern regions to expand their medical services without being constrained by tracer availability or supply logistics.

At the same time, scaling this ecosystem comes with operational challenges. We continue expanding our medical services while managing high hospital capacity needs, wide geographic coverage, multiple requested products and tracer types, and limited availability of specialized talent in rare disciplines. These constraints are not unique to I-ONE; they represent a broader system challenge: advanced imaging capacity must grow in parallel with workforce development, supply chain resilience, and referral pathway maturity.

The presence of I-ONE Center under King Abdulaziz University/Jeddah also strengthens our ability to activate partnerships with companies and institutes inside and outside the Kingdom to provide up-to-date services in this field. These partnerships are not “nice to have.” They are a practical growth lever for technology transfer, clinical protocol development, and training pipelines that keep Saudi capabilities current and competitive.

Patient privacy and data protection are non-negotiable. Personal imaging data is highly secured and follows the regulations of national regulatory authorities to ensure patient privacy, with strictly limited access to authorized personnel only. Trust is part of the service, not an extra feature.

I-ONE Center aligns with Vision 2030 by localizing advanced technology in the medical industry and emphasizing early disease detection to improve survival rates and quality of life. These applications are also enhancing investment in the medical sector while supporting talent development for Saudis. The practice of molecular medicine is well-developed in Saudi Arabia compared to many countries in the region due to factors including early adoption, financial support, and the expansion of training and practical programs across specialties. Furthermore, as healthcare services advance, the field must progress rapidly to meet the rising demand and maintain care pathways that are evidence-driven and cost-effective.

I-ONE provides high-qualification and certification on-site training programs for health practitioners, including physicians, technologists, nurses, physicists, and radiopharmacists. This is how advanced imaging becomes sustainable: not just through equipment, but through people, protocols, and a learning culture. Looking ahead, we anticipate that AI applications will enhance medical imaging services by reducing interpretation time, improving clinical accuracy, and strengthening predictive capabilities once they are implemented. The opportunity is clear: faster reads, more consistent reporting, and smarter longitudinal tracking—especially when combined with strong clinical governance.

Bottom line: PET/MRI and molecular imaging are no longer “premium extras.” They are becoming essential infrastructure for modern healthcare. I-ONE’s experience shows what’s possible when advanced technology, localized radiopharmaceutical supply, and academic-clinical integration are built into one model—and it also shows where the next push must focus: scaling capacity, expanding specialized workforce pipelines, and deepening cross-sector partnerships so more patients can benefit, closer to home.

           

About the author:

Dr. Samih Al-Sheikh is the General Manager of the Molecular Imaging & Medical Sector at Wadi Jeddah, with over 26 years of experience in the medical laboratory and diagnostics field. He previously served as CEO of Al-Burj Medical Laboratories and has led the establishment and expansion of internationally accredited laboratory networks across the Gulf region and beyond.  

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy or position of ArabMedicare.com.

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