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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Translational imaging facility could ease radiopharmaceutical development

A partnership between MPI Research, 3D Imaging and inviCRO has led to a new translational imaging center complete with on-site cyclotron that recently broke ground in Mattawan, Mich. The institution is scheduled to open this spring, according to the Feb. 5 announcement from MPI.

SPECT/CT: Scouting out vulnerable plaques in atherosclerosis

Angiography cannot differentiate between vulnerable and stable plaques, which inform clinicians about a patient’s risk of rupture. Immuno-imaging with SPECT/CT could be a route for marking increased immune response at the site of high-risk vulnerable plaques, but there remain some complications, according to a study published Jan. 21 in Molecular Imaging.

Navidea to present at BIO CEO conference

Navidea Biopharmaceuticals, producers of the amyloid PET agent NAV4694, announced Feb. 2 that CEO Mark Pikett, PhD, would hold a presentation at the 16th annual BIO CEO and Investor Conference taking place at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City, Feb. 10-11.

PET/MR v. PET/CT: Former may be more effective for head and neck cancer

A comparison of PET/MR and PET/CT using a trimodality system showed that PET/MR is a worthy alternative, if not superior, to PET/CT when imaging for head and neck tumors, according to a study published Feb. 3 in in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

Hypoxia imaging: four biomarkers go head to head

Four up-and-coming radiotracers to target areas of under-oxygenation, which indicates dying tissues and possible tumor proliferation, were compared and found to have similar biodistribution and uptake, according to a study published Feb. 3 in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.

Early genetic detection of MS moves forward

DioGenix announced Jan. 27 that preliminary research validates the company’s genetic sequencing assay, MSPrecise. The screening tool would identify people with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the very earliest stages of disease when symptoms are still subtle. 

Novel neuroendocrine tumor scan gets European orphan drug designation

OctreoPharm Sciences based in Berlin announced Jan. 29 that OPS202, an imaging agent for the detection of gastro-entero-pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, received orphan drug designation from the European Medicines Agency.

PET/MR pins down nerve pain at the molecular level

Pain is unavoidable. It alerts sufferers to very real threats via injury and disease and is invaluable for that reason, but it is also vague and imprecise and sometimes just mysterious, especially in cases of chronic pain disorders. Stanford scientists sought to develop a biomarker that could visualize the molecular changes that signal pain generation and potentially use it to gauge wound healing and to assist in drug trials. 

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