Molecular Imaging

Molecular imaging (also called nuclear medicine or nuclear imaging) can image the function of cells inside the body at the molecular level. This includes the imaging modalities of positron emission computed tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging. How does PET and SPECT imaging work? Small amounts of radioactive material (radiopharmaceuticals) injected into a patient. These can use sugars or chemical traits to bond to specific cells. The radioactive material is taken up by cells that consume the sugars. The radiation emitted from inside the body is detected by photon detectors outside the body. Computers take the data to assemble images of the radiation emissions. Nuclear images may appear fuzzy or ghostly rather than the sharper resolution from MRI and CT.  But, it provides metabolic information at a cellular level, showing if there are defects in the function of the heart, areas of very high metabolic activity associated with cancer cells, or areas of inflammation, data not available from other modalities. These noninvasive imaging exams are used to diagnose cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, bone disorders and other disorders. 

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Long-term North American moly-99 supply hooked up by Shine and GE

Shine Medical Technologies based in Monona, Wis., has solidified a deal with GE Healthcare to provide consistent production of molybdenum-99, which decays into technetium-99m—the medical isotope most used throughout the world in nuclear medicine procedures, the company announced last week.

EU aims for clinical research transparency

Drug policy in the European Union could change in the not too distant future depending on a vote regarding a law proposed to discourage pharmaceutical companies from playing favorites when it comes to clinical trials.

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PET trick: Prostate cancer imaging sneakily looks to glucose, not lipids

While the prostate naturally relies on lipid metabolism, there is a way to reroute metabolic function and activate glucose uptake, which provides a novel means of FDG and other metabolic prostate imaging, according to a study presented during the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) annual meeting being held April 5-9 in San Diego, Calif.

Strand Genomics presents high-tech personalized medicine

Strand Genomics, the genomics software company in Rockville, Md., and San Francisco, Calif., announced April 1 that a selection of technology has been prepared for the company’s Strand Centers for Genomics and Personalized Medicine across the U.S.

Stem cell therapy improves brain function following ischemic stroke

A neural stem cell treatment is stepping up in the hopes of one day helping stroke patients regain more neurologic function.

Alcoholism pickles the brain by disrupting protein balance

Not only does alcoholism lead to neural atrophy and diminish total brain weight, but it also leads to a dramatic drop in the levels of select proteins in the brain, according to an article published April 3 in PLOS ONE.

Alzheimer's drug patent given the go ahead

Pittsburgh-based pharmaceutical research and development firm Cognition Therapeutics (CogRx) announced April 1 that the company’s patent for numerous drug therapy candidates have been approved.

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A quarter century of cardiovascular risk hastens cognitive decline

Hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors from early adulthood and beyond have a direct impact on future cognitive ability, according to a study published March 31 in Circulation.

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