News

Genomics research peering into the pathogenesis of adult de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) reveals many important relationships in both genomic and exomic mutations, according to a review published May 1 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

While verbal memory decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease has been well documented, a similarly relevant area of research has gone relatively uncharted until now. Those affected by the neurodegenerative disease also suffer loss of nonverbal memory function and researchers are mapping the effects of Alzheimer’s disease on brain regions dedicated to this area of cognition and finding newly blazed trails of neural activity, according to a study published April 26 in Neurology.

For patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma, volumetric data derived from quantitative PET imaging could provide more precision staging and inform physicians about patient survival, according to a study published in the March issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology.

A PET imaging technique gleaning information about both dopamine terminal integrity and amyloid burden in the brain may help researchers classify forms of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and predict dementia risk, according to a study published online April 9 in The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

An increasing number of studies are exploring the possibilities of cognitive reserve in Alzheimer’s patients with higher education levels. Specific neural networks have been found in an area of the prefrontal cortex that light up in educated subjects and compensate for neural damage in the beginning stages of the disease, according to research published in the June issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

A comparison between glucose mimicking F-18 FDG and F-18 FLT, which tracks cell proliferation, pegged F-18 FDG PET/CT as a better imaging technique for the diagnosis of differentiated thyroid metastases, according to a study published in the April issue of Radiology. 

Eli Lilly and Company has acquired a pair of PET tracers from Siemens. The investigational tracers are designed to target the tau deposits that are the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Lilly’s wholly owned subsidiary, will develop and validate the tracers, according to Lilly.

Researchers are developing a method of quantitative myocardial perfusion imaging that analyzes myocardial perfusion reserve using SPECT with advanced cadmium zinc telluride crystal detectors to unlock extent of coronary artery disease, according to a study published April 11 by The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

Bioinformatics technology has launched a revolution in DNA sequencing. Genetics experts are highlighting a range of genomics research by metagenomic analysis, genetic expressions in certain cancers and in infectious disease, according to a series of studies published in the April edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Now that hybrid PET/CT systems are thoroughly mainstream, standardization of practice has moved into the spotlight. A thorough F-18 FDG PET/CT oncological report should include much more than just what meets the eye, according to the authors of a comprehensive review published in the May issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

Amyloid imaging is now promising earlier Alzheimer’s disease diagnoses and potential anti-amyloid therapies in the not-too-distant future. The radiotracer C-11 Pittsburgh compound-B (C-11 PiB) has been proven effective for amyloid PET imaging and has outperformed many F-18 bound biomarkers, but the radiotracer F-18 NAV4694 is showing a binding pattern that nearly mirrors that of C-11 PiB with all the logistical perks of a fluorine-based agent, according to research being published in the June edition of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

PET Response Criteria in Solid Tumors (PERCIST) provides similar outcomes to the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) criteria for quantifying response to anticancer treatment using PET/CT, but PERCIST may provide a clearer protocol conducive for widespread adoption, according to a review of the two models published in the April edition of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.