Dr. Carlos Uribe: Combining Empathy With PET/CT Innovation
April 10, 2026
Found in BC Cancer - Vancouver, General, PET/CT scan
Dr. Carlos Uribe is the molecular imaging and therapy physics lead at BC Cancer and part of the team that helped bring a first-in-Canada Next-Generation PET/CT to Vancouver.
But he was once a frightened young boy in Colombia undergoing treatment for leukemia.
“Imagine being a kid and in hospital almost every day. Everything involves needles and tubes, and then they come in with an even bigger needle to take a bit of your bone marrow. Between seven and eight years old, I basically cried every day,” he says.
For a child going through cancer treatment, hospital procedures often meant pain. But some were different: he would lie on a bed while a machine created images from inside his body, helping doctors see what was happening and guide his treatment.
“When I had one of these scans, it didn’t hurt. That’s what made them so unique. Everything else was so painful, but this wasn’t. That became the main reason I went into medical imaging. I wanted to help cancer patients avoid some of the invasive, painful procedures I went through and improve their care, diagnosis and treatment.”
Dr. Uribe left home to pursue graduate studies in nuclear medicine physics at UBC. He has been at BC Cancer for over 10 years, helping expand molecular imaging and therapy, including PET/CT services, across the province.
Donor-powered advanced PET/CT imaging
Funded in part by $6.1 million from BC Cancer Foundation donors, the new PET/CT in Vancouver is a dream come true for Dr. Uribe and his team.
The new scanner can image the whole body in a single frame, delivering clearer images with less radiation. It will also give researchers an opportunity to develop radiopharmaceutical drugs that deliver more precise treatment with fewer side effects.
While the new PET/CT can reduce scan time from up to 40 minutes to as few as two minutes, patients still need to rest quietly for about 45 minutes before their scan while a small amount of radioactive tracer travels through the body to highlight areas doctors need to see.
“For many, that waiting period can be filled with anxiety and uncertainty as they wait to learn whether they have cancer or their disease has changed.”
Dr. Uribe as a child, a year before he was diagnosed with leukemia.
From patient to compassionate caregiver
Dr. Uribe understands that emotional weight personally. He remembers how much small comforts mattered during long days in hospital, when even brief distractions, such as cartoons, could make the experience feel more bearable. This memory inspired a simple, deeply personal idea: make the PET/CT waiting space feel less clinical and more humane.
Dr. Uribe transformed a blank grey wall into a large projection screen to bring moments of calm, beauty and connection to patients while they wait. Some of the first works projected were created in partnership with First Nations artists, whose vibrant designs helped make the room feel more welcoming.
He’s also contributed his own work, including a video of the flowing Coquitlam River accompanied by birdsong. Over time, he hopes the space will continue to evolve, with new nature scenes, artwork and community contributions that offer patients comfort in different ways.
Grounded in a lesson he carries from his own childhood cancer journey, Dr. Uribe says, “We can’t take away the worry or fear that comes with a cancer scan, but we can try to ease the burden and make these moments a little easier to get through.”
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